The Chinese government has announced a series of policies to help high school students who lost their schools and families in the Sichuan earthquake.

The Education Ministry has decided to delay the national college entrance examinations in quake-hit regions to allow students more time for preparation.

Some universities also said they will give preference to applications from students from quake-hit regions. Moreover, the government is arranging to provide tuition fee waivers and living costs for students badly affected by the quake.

The Beijing Youth Daily carries a commentary saying that such policies provide much-needed support to students affected by the disaster.

Normal life has been disrupted for many students, some of whom have been injured, lost families members, and witnessed the death of their classmates and teachers.

As the students need time to resume normal life, the paper says, these policies provide them exactly the help they need at this point.

The paper goes on to say that it's important the students go for counseling.

Some college students in the quake-hit regions said they wanted to quit the exam and look after their family members instead. Other said that they couldn't concentrate on their studies after the disaster.

The newspaper thus appeals for more social support to help these students overcome such psychological barriers.

If students could turn sorrow into strength and perform well in the exam, the paper says, they could win for themselves a chance to have a bright future.

In addition, the paper adds that it's not just college candidates who need counseling and material support; all the children in quake-hit regions require our attention.