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Education Inequality between Rural and Urban Areas of the People's Republic of China, Migrants’ Children Education, and Some Implications

Author

Listed:
  • Dandan Zhang

    (Assistant Professor at the National School of Development, Peking University)

  • Xin Li

    (PhD student, National School of Development, Peking University)

  • Jinjun Xue

    (Nagoya University)

Abstract

Education inequality between the rural and urban areas of the People's Republic of China (PRC)—a potential bottleneck for human capital accumulation—has long been of interest to researchers and policymakers. This paper uses data from the China Family Panel Survey (CFPS) and the Rural–Urban Migration in China (RUMiC) survey to compare the education performance of rural children, children of rural-to-urban migrants, and urban children over the period 2009–2010. Results show that education performance of rural children and migrants’ children is significantly lower than that of their urban counterparts even after accounting for differences in personal attributes such as nutrition and parenting style. This provides useful insights for policymaking to reduce rural–urban education inequality and assist human capital accumulation in the PRC.

Suggested Citation

  • Dandan Zhang & Xin Li & Jinjun Xue, 2015. "Education Inequality between Rural and Urban Areas of the People's Republic of China, Migrants’ Children Education, and Some Implications," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 32(1), pages 196-224, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:adbadr:v:31:y:2015:i:2:p:196-224
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhao, Yaohui, 1999. "Labor Migration and Earnings Differences: The Case of Rural China," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 47(4), pages 767-782, July.
    2. Meng, Xin & Yamauchi, Chikako, 2015. "Children of Migrants: The Impact of Parental Migration on Their Children's Education and Health Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 9165, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Shana Pribesh & Douglas Downey, 1999. "Why are residential and school moves associated with poor school performance?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 36(4), pages 521-534, November.
    4. James J. Heckman & Xuesong Li, 2003. "Selection Bias, Comparative Advantage and Heterogeneous Returns to Education," NBER Working Papers 9877, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Alan de Brauw & John Giles, 2017. "Migrant Opportunity and the Educational Attainment of Youth in Rural China," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 52(1), pages 272-311.
    6. Heckman, James & Li, Xuesong, 2003. "Selection bias, comparative advantage and heterogeneous returns to education: Evidence from China in 2000," Working Paper Series 2003:17, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    7. Alejandra Cox Edwards & Manuelita Ureta, 2003. "International Migration, Remittances, and Schooling: Evidence from El Salvador," NBER Working Papers 9766, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Edwards, Alejandra Cox & Ureta, Manuelita, 2003. "International migration, remittances, and schooling: evidence from El Salvador," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 429-461, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    education; education inequality; China; China Family Panel Survey (CFPS); Rural-Urban Migration in China (RUMiC) survey; policymaking;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure

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