Addressing Educational Barriers Faced By Left-Behind Children in Rural China

Rapid internal migration has reshaped family structures in China, giving rise to a significant population of left-behind children—those who remain in rural communities while their parents seek work in distant cities. This study explores the educational challenges these children face and identifies strategies that may support their learning and emotional development. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 12 rural left-behind children and 5 educators, the research reveals that barriers exist across multiple domains, including emotional insecurity, limited parental guidance, school resource constraints, and structural inequities. Many children report feeling unsupported or misunderstood in school, particularly in environments with understaffed faculties and scarce counseling resources. While some schools offer academic remediation, few provide integrated supports that link families, teachers, and communities. Despite these challenges, the study also identifies sources of resilience—including school belonging, peer encouragement, and teacher emotional support. The findings call for more holistic interventions that connect home–school communication, community-based mentoring, and systemic investment in rural education. Recommendations include strengthening rural teacher training, promoting regular parent–child contact, and scaling up school–community partnerships. By centering children’s lived experiences, the study contributes practical insights for policymakers and educators seeking to reduce educational disparities and improve learning outcomes for vulnerable rural populations.