Ethnic Minorities account for a small proportion of a country's total population,but play an important role in the country's development in almost all aspects.China,with a total population of 1.3 billion(National Bureau of Statistics of China,2003),is the most populous country in the world.Among the total 56 ethnic groups,Han ethnic group has the greatest popula tion.Since 2000,the total population of other 55 ethnic groups is 106.43 million,accounts for 8.41% of the total population of the whole country(Information Office of the State Council of the PRC,2009).The illiteracy rate among minority students was always high,and even over 95% before 1949(Information Office of the State Council of the PRC,2000).The learning achieve ment gap between majority and minority students do exist,and has been one of the biggest problems for the further development of education in China.
