Two security guards working at Peking University use one of the computers at the university's library.(Photo: China Daily)

Teachers, lawyers and white-collar workers. After many hours of self-study, these are just a few of the titles that are now open to former guards at some of Beijing's top universities.

More than 200 security guards at Peking, Tsinghua and China Renmin universities have received college diplomas through after-hours self-study programs in the past 13 years, giving them a shot at more skilled careers, the Beijing-based First newspaper reported recently.

The security guards worked for Beijing Security Service General Company's Cultural Security Branch. The company was established in January 1992 and began dispatching guards to roughly 200 colleges around the capital in June 1994.

Li Yueguang, supervisor of the branch company, said after-hours study sessions were popular among security guards. And campus security leaders encourage the guards, most of whom are between 18 and 25 years old, to spend their spare time studying in the interest of improving their future job prospects.

In the past 13 years, more than 100 security guards at Peking University (Beida), roughly 70 guards at Tsinghua University and about 50 guards from China Renmin University have received college diplomas after completing the required coursework.

Most of the guards - who mainly come from outside Beijing have received two-year college diplomas, though some have gone on to get four-year college diplomas with bachelor's degrees.

Han Fei, a security guard at a canteen in Beida, even passed a graduate examination last January at the university's Education School.

"I came to Beida to study. We are so fortunate that we have time for half-a-day's worth of study after work," he said.

China established the self-study examination system in 1981.

With their new diplomas, the guards, who had come to the universities with only high school or primary school educations, have moved on to greener pastures. In addition to the teachers, lawyers and white-collar workers, some former guards have become township leaders, bosses at information technology companies and professional managers.

Chen Fu, a security guard at Renmin University, said he was planning to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language in a bid to go to a North European country next year, following his graduation from the Further Education School of Renmin University.

Some 90,000 security guards have registered with Beijing Security Service General Company and Beijing Zhenyuan Security Service Center, but statistics show the city needs at least 270,000 security guards.

Not all of the new students have their eyes on other careers.

Zhang Guoqiang, 32, who has worked as a guard at Beida for 13 years, said he wanted to continue to be a security guard because the monthly salary of 1,700 yuan (218 U.S. dollars) was enough for him and because the work is not so busy.

Editor: Wing