URUMQI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region invested 1.43 billion yuan (207.9 million U.S. dollars) to improve compulsory education infrastructure in the first half of the year, according to the regional education department.

The region also approved the construction of school buildings totaling 43,700 square meters in floor space in the first six months, the department said.

To better the basic conditions of compulsory education, Xinjiang has carried out projects on building and renovating schoolhouses and ensuring school building safety in rural areas this year.

Xinjiang has also combined the projects with poverty alleviation policies, with more funding flowing to the poverty-stricken areas. Over the past six months, 1.02 billion yuan was allocated to the four prefectures in southern Xinjiang, which have long suffered from poverty.