Entrepreneurs sent to school; Government foots bill
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-10 08:45

Multimillionaire in Zhejiang have been sent back to school at the taxpayers' expense to learn how to be better entrepreneurs.

The Zhejiang Provincial Government has set aside 420,000 yuan (US$52,000) to cover the cost of 12 days of training for 30 leading businessmen at Qinghua University's School of Economic Management in Beijing — part of a provincial program to raise management standards.

The training started Monday and included lectures on subjects ranging from business philosophy to leadership.

Zhejiang officials said the program was aimed at raising the knowledge base and management quality of the province's entrepreneurs.

Internet chat rooms lashed out at the Zhejiang government for spending money on people who were already rich.

"Why doesn't government spend the money in some more urgent areas and support needy people?" said one critic writing on Xinhuanet.com.