According to the Beijing Bureau of Statistics, currently there
are more than 130,000 children of migrants attending 297 migrant
schools in Beijing. Only 58 of these schools have government
authorization.
There are historical reasons and social conditions for the
hundreds of unauthorized schools. The reasons are closely related
to the distribution of resource during the process of reform.
Government departments need to respect the facts and take a
pragmatic attitude in solving the problems.
The 239 schools without permits are in poor condition. Teachers
receive meager pay. There are hidden safety risks in the
schoolhouses, food and transportation. Last summer the municipal
government issued a circular on enhancing the safety at these
schools and closed some of them. But the results were less than
successful.
In some places conflicts broke out between law-enforcement
personnel and school staff as well as parents. The action even led
to the appearance of some tiny and shabby underground schools in
Fengtai and Haidian districts. These schools are much worse than
the openly operated schools for children of migrant workers.
Why did this happen? First, it was vacation time when the
schools were informed that they would be shut down. Schools and
parents were unprepared. Second, related departments rigidly
implemented the decision to shut the schools but offered no
alternatives. Third, government departments are under great
financial pressure to improve the condition of those schools.
Fourth, the fees collected by public schools are too high for
migrant workers to afford. Fifth, it is difficult for the parents
to obtain all five certificates and papers required for their
children to attend public school. In addition, these parents do not
know how long they will stay in Beijing so are less likely to
undertake the paperwork.
While China continues in a period of rapid urbanization, an
increase in migrant population can be expected for a long time in
medium and large cities. As part of this pattern, the education of
migrant workers' children will be a continuing issue, which
requires thorough consideration by the authorities. It concerns the
harmony and stability of Beijing and other cities to guarantee the
right of education to children of migrant workers. Prompt measures
should be taken.
First, private migrant schools in poor condition should be shut
down with students transferred to approved schools for these
students or public schools. The authorities should include migrant
schools in the management of non-public education and provide
support and guidance in sites, funds and teacher training. The
operation of these schools should be regulated.
According to statistics, there were about 375,000 children of
migrant workers in Beijing in 2006. An estimated 62 percent of
these children were studying in public schools. Obviously the
current 58 authorized schools for children of migrant workers were
far from enough for the other 142,500 children.
The government's policy target should be to guarantee migrant
children's schooling in qualified schools. When the government
cannot afford to build more schools, it is important to nurture and
improve schools run by the migrant population and encourage social
capital to invest in non-public migrant schools.
Second, a mechanism can be established to let government at
different levels share funding responsibilities. County-level
governments are in charge of managing China's compulsory education.
Beijing's migrant children mainly live in a few townships within a
few districts. The high concentration has financially strained
local education departments. Therefore, a mechanism can be set up
to let the municipal, district and township governments share the
responsibilities and provide sufficient resources for equal
educational opportunities for migrant children.
Third, the government should give more support to migrant
schools. Compulsory education for migrant children should be
included in local education development plans and budgets.
Following the example of other regions, Beijing can give financial
aid to migrant schools at one-third to two-thirds the level of
public schools. Teachers at migrant schools should enjoy the same
training and study opportunities as their counterparts in public
schools.
The main steps taken so far are government investment in public
schools enabling them to expand enrollment and take more migrant
children plus building unsophisticated schools in communities with
high migrant populations.
It is proper and necessary for the government to play a major
role in promoting equal education. At the same time, non-public
schools for migrant students should be encouraged. Public schools,
non-public schools and schools run by the migrant population can
all provide opportunities for these children who are part of
China's future.
The author is a professor at the Beijing Institute of
Technology.
(China Daily March 1, 2007)