China’s education authorities announced on 7 March that a total of 10,442 students went abroad via 15 local overseas study agencies last year, a 20 per cent decrease from 2011. The growth of international courses at local public schools and an increasing proportion of students going abroad on their own resulted in the drop, experts said. Nationwide, nearly 400,000 Chinese study abroad at their own expense last year - a 17.65 per cent increase over 2011. Reports People.com.cn on 7 March 2013.