Children of Migrant Workers
Children of Migrant Workers
Special Report
By Aris Chan
Edited by Geoffrey Crothall
November 2009
Copyright: China Labour Bulletin
Table of Contents
A Stark Choice........................................................................................................................................ 5
Those Left Behind .................................................................................................................................. 7
The reality for children left behind.................................................................................................. 9
Separated for years on end ............................................................................................................. 9
Vulnerability to accidents and crime ............................................................................................ 11
Left-behind children syndrome ..................................................................................................... 13
Asocial and criminal behaviour ................................................................................................... 17
No escape...................................................................................................................................... 18
The governments response ............................................................................................................ 19
Official initiatives ......................................................................................................................... 19
The limitations of government policy ........................................................................................... 23
Rural Migrant Children in Urban China .......................................................................................... 27
Under the same blue sky? ............................................................................................................... 29
Exclusion from healthcare ............................................................................................................ 29
Discrimination in education ......................................................................................................... 34
Social, geographical and cultural marginalization ...................................................................... 38
Juvenile delinquents and victims of crime .................................................................................... 42
Central government policy and local government implementation ........................................... 44
Healthcare .................................................................................................................................... 44
Education...................................................................................................................................... 48
Local government resistance to education reforms ...................................................................... 50
Improving the quality of urban population?................................................................................. 54
Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................................................... 57
Appendix ............................................................................................................................................... 60
I. Central government measures designed to help left-behind children ....................................... 60
II. Government measures to promote migrant childrens education (by date of issuance)
...................................................................................................................................................... 63
Table of Figures
Figure 1. The living arrangements of left-behind children ...................................................................... 8
Figure 2. Age structure of left-behind children based on the 2005 by-census ......................................... 9
Figure 3. Four strategies to help left-behind children ........................................................................... 20
Figure 4. Numbers of migrant children by age ...................................................................................... 28
Figure 5. Death rate of children below five years of age in urban Guangdong by international ............
classification of diseases (100,000 p).................................................................................... 33
Figure 6. Death rate of children below five years of age in urban Guangdong by cause of
death (100 000 p) .................................................................................................................. 33
Figure 7. Maternal, neonatal, infant and child mortality rates in China 1991-2007 ............................ 45
Figure 8. Percentage of government funds in overall primary school funding 1995-2006 ................... 48
Figure 9. Four scenarios for implementing the two-waiver policy in Longgang district in
Shenzhen, as proposed by the Longgang Education Department ......................................... 52
A Stark Choice 5
A Stark Choice
My parents left home when I was very young. Their faces are fading away.
~ A middle school student left behind in rural Hubei1
I come from a rural area. Now I am living in a city, but I am not living a city life. What am I a half city-dweller
and a half peasant? My parents are busy working and they do not pay much attention to me. Many times, I feel
very lonely.
~ A migrant child in Hangzhou2
In its conclusion, CLB argues that the only longterm solution to the problems facing the children
of migrant workers is wide-ranging and systemic
reform of the social welfare system and abolition
of the hukou system. This of course will not
happen overnight or, realistically, within the next
decade. As such, CLB argues that in the interim,
the link between hukou and social services
for children should be eliminated and urban
governments should be made wholly responsible
for the provision of social welfare to migrant
children.
(Left-behind
children: problems of a transitional society), (Sina.com),
28 March 2008.
6
Wen: Give left-behind kids more love, China Daily, 29 May
2007.
7
Duan, Chengyong & Zhou, Fulin (2006),
(A study of left-behind children in China),
(Population Research), 28(1):29-36.
8
Huang, Xiaona, et al. (2005),
(Rural left-behind children a marginal group
that cannot be neglected), (Medicine and Society)
2(18); Chen, Xuzhong & Wang, Liping (2005),
(A study of the personality development of leftbehind middle school students from the educational perspective),
(Journal of Shenyang College of Education)
1(7); Zhao, Xiaoman & Xian, Zhangxing (2003),
5
Source: Duan, C.Y. & Zhou, F.L. (2005), Left-behind children in China presented at a
Conference on Left-behind Children, available at
http://www.cinfo.org.cn/zhuanti/20050627zgnc/zgnclsetshzyxdyth_004.htm
(A
survey on left-behind children in rural areas: Who is responsible
for holding up the sun), (Peoples Daily), 2 June
2006.
16
Ibid.
15
1000 (There
are about 10 million left-behind children, four tenths do not know
what their parents do for a living), published on the Chinese
government website on 26 August 2005.
22
Wang, Daochun (2006),
(The causes of and preventive measures for juvenile
delinquency in left-behind children in rural China),
(Journal of Beijing youth politics college),
15(3): 27-33.
23
Lu, Shaoqing,
(Left-behind children: social and psychological conflicts),
(China Development Review), 13 September 2005.
21
1000 (There
are about 10 million left-behind children, four tenths do not know
what their parents do for a living), published on the Chinese
government website on 26 August 2005.
25
(A
survey on left-behind children in rural areas: Who is responsible
for holding up the sun), (Peoples Daily), 2 June
2006.
26
Lu, Shizheng (et al.), :
(Lets talk about the social values of minors:
Preventing the moral deterioration of left-behind children in rural
areas), (Peoples Daily), 17 January 2006.
24
Zhao, Kefu; Fang, Xue-hui; Su, Hong; He, Li; Chen, Juan;
Chen, Mingchun & Ye, Dongqing (2007),
( The epidemiological
characteristics of unintentional injuries among children left-behind
in Anhui province), (Journal of disease control and
prevention), 11(3):277-279.
7(Left-behind
children - Three little sisters seriously injured over a seven year
period), (Xinhua Net), 20 November 2005.
29
(The black hand
of the sex predator has reached left-behind children, young girls
are sexually abused), (Sichuan Online), 7 July 2006.
27
28
17 (The
truth behind the theft of 17 young girls virginity: left-behind
children are at risk). (Southern Metropolis Daily), 13
September 2007.
31
Su, Guojun & Wang, Yuxin (2006),
(The alarming absence of guardians to protect leftbehind girls in rural areas from sex predators), (China
womens news), 18 December 2006.
32
(Ministry of Public Security vows to combat crimes against leftbehind children), published in the official website of the Chinese
government on 27 May 2007.
33
(The
30
(Expert claims the problem of left-behind children is so serious
that it might endanger the future of rural China),
(China Youth Daily), 3 June 2008.
39
:12 (A young
hero of the earthquake: Zhang Jiwan carries his little sister for
12 hours to safety), (Shanxi Evening News), 13 June
2008.
38
(Letters
from left-behind children: Father I dont hate you, I will write all
my thoughts of you in my diary), (Fortnightly Chats), 27
September 2007.
42
In another incident, Zhang, a 12 year-old boy from Anhui, hanged himself in a shed near the
clan hall after the Spring Festival in 2008. Zhangs father left home to work in a tobacco factory
when he was a toddler. And after his mother joined his father four years ago, leaving Zhang in
the care of his grandfather and aunt, he became increasingly sullen and quiet. Nobody knew why
Zhang committed suicide, but on the eighth day of the Chinese New Year, he told his mother
that if she did not come home in two months, she would never see him again. He couldnt wait
for the deadline.
See: 12 (A 12 year-old left-behind boy in Anhui commits suicide), (China
Newsweek), 18 March 2008.
17
(The truth behind the theft of 17 young girls virginity:
left-behind children are at risk), (Southern
Metropolis Daily), 13 September 2007.
63
Lu, Shizheng (et al.), :
(Lets talk about the social values of
minors: Preventing the moral deterioration of left-behind
children in rural areas), (Peoples Daily), 17
January 2006.
64
(Measures to improve
the psychological health of left-behind children),
(Left-behind children website of Shiquang
county), 25 October 2007.
65
Gong, Yongji, (Leftbehind children: An educational problem that cannot be
neglected), Published on (Xunyang government
62
No escape
One major hope of migrant parents is to earn
enough money to finance their childrens
education, so that can get a decent job and escape
the poverty of the countryside. Indeed, according
to a national survey, compared with other rural
children, left-behind children are more likely to
stay in school.73 However, with little help, care
and supervision, their academic performance is
more likely to deteriorate after their parents leave
home.74 Zhou, the teenage girl interviewed by
The Wall Street Journal, said she used to enjoy
her literature class but found it difficult to keep
up.75 Surveys in Henan76 and Sichuan found that
(Juvenile delinquency increases by 13 percent annually, 20 million
left-behind children at risk), (China Gate) 21
September 2007.
71
(Police
call for the strengthening of the family and better psychological
health education of left-behind children in rural areas),
(People Net) 24 March 2008.
72
(Expert claims the problem of left-behind children is so
serious that it might endanger the future of rural China),
(China Youth Daily) 3 June 2008.
73
65%, (Report
shows the number of left-behind children in six provinces accounts
for 52 % of left-behind children nationwide, more boys are left
behind than girls), published on (China Gate)
on 27 February 2008.
74
(A survey report on
left-behind children in Qingdao). (Peninsula City
Daily), 28 March 2007. Quoted in
(Chinas Children and Juveniles Statistical Handbook). Beijing:
70
75
Legal rights
Social participation
Media
106
107
(Circular of the
Ministry of Public Security on handling the work of left-behind
children), 20 August 2006.
117
(Law of the Peoples
Republic of China on the Protection of Minors) issued by
the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress,
promulgated on 29 December 2006, and effective on 1 June 2007.
118
?
(Leftbehind children squads or stand-in parents? How do left-behind
children return home), (Xinhua Net), 11 July 2007.
119
Ye, Jingzhong & Yang, Zhao (2008), Op Cit.
120
:? (Stand-in parents:
How should I spend Labour Day with left-behind children?),
(Hangzhou Daily), 20 April 2007.
121
; (The
success of the six-in-one education model for left-behind
children creates the Shiquan model), (China Business
Net) 22 September 2008.
(Two
university students set up a left-behind children home to teach
children musical instruments), (Oriental Daily), 18
December 2007.
123
6 (Shanghai
university students set up six left-behind children homes in
Sichuan), (Liberation Daily), 13 August 2007.
124
(Feature article:
Walking into the left-behind children home of the Panli Primary
School), (Leihe Education TV, 19 August
2008.
125
511
(The 5.11 donation campaign for left-behind children
proceeded successfully despite rain in Shandong province),
(Bailing Net), 11 May 2008.
126
(Anqing city kicks
off donation campaigns for the building of left-behind childrens
homes), (China Youth Net), 24 April 2008.
116
122
(Report on enforcement of
the PRC Protection of Minors Law submitted by the inspection team
of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress),
(National Peoples Congress Website), 19 September
2008.
128
(Promoting stand-in
parents in rural areas: practice and reflection ) , (Science
education news), 12 January 2005.
129
(Left-behind
children squads, boarding schools or stand-in parents),
(China Youth Daily), 11 July 2007.
130
, (An interview with the deputy
head of the provincial education department, Yang Hui, by the
Fujian government website on working hard for the education
127
135
136
(Shortage of
funding for boarding schools in poor areas warrants concern for
students), (Phoenix TV), 2 September 2008.
140
Su, Ran (2007), (Two
important problems faced by boarding schools),
(Education tri-monthly), 13: 29.
139
Based on the data of the 2000 census, quoted in China Youth Research Centre (2008),
(Chinas Children and Juveniles Statistical Handbook).
Beijing: Science Press, p. 4
Ibid.
China Youth Research Centre (2008),
(Chinas Children and Juveniles Statistical Handbook), Beijing:
Science Press, p.228.
156
157
Ibid, p.227.
Beach, M, Chinas rural health care gradually worsens, The
Lancet, No. 358 (1997), pp. 56768.
160
Gao, J.; Tang,S.; Tolhurst, R. & Rao, K. (2001), Changing
access to health services in urban China: implications for equity,
(Health Policy and Planning), 16(3):302312.
161
Yip, W. and Hsiao, W (2008), The Chinese health System at a
Crossroads, (Health Affairs), 27 (2):460-468.
162
()
(Circular on the publication of implementing regulations
for the management of maternal and child health care for the
migrant population, revised), issued by the Ningbo Bureau of
Health, 25 April 2006.
167
71 (From 1
July residence card holders will be entitled to maternal insurance),
39 (39 HeathNet), 2 June 2005.
168
(Women on
social security will be eligible for free birth services in a new
policy to be implemented in Futian district (Shenzhen)),
(Local Treasure News), 20 September 2007.
169
Gao, Yanqiu; An, Lin & Guo, Chunhui
(2006),
(A qualitative study of the provision method and utilization of
maternal and child healthcare services by the migrant population),
(Maternal and Child Healthcare in China), 21:
1022-1025.
166
170
(Health
checks reveal that migrant workers children need much more
care), (Jilu Evening News), 9 June 2007.
184
(Migrant children in three
districts get free medical checks).
What can I feed my baby now, poor parents ask, South China
Morning Post, 18 September 2008
190
Li, Ronghan ; Zhao, Qingguo; Zhong, Xixia,
; Deng, Qundi & He, Qiuyuan (2006).
(Preventable
deaths of children below five years old in Guangdongs migrant
population), (International Medicine & Health
Leader), 12(03): 111-113.
191
Ibid.
189
Figure 5. Death rate of children below five years of age in urban Guangdong by international classification of diseases (100,000 p)
ICD-10
A00-B99
C00-D48
E00-E90
I00-I99
J00-J99
K00-K93
Q00-Q99
P00-P96
S00-T98
Classification
Certain infectious
and parasitic diseases
Neoplasms
Endocrine, nutritional
and metabolic diseases
Diseases of the circulatory system
Diseases of the respiratory system
Diseases of the digestive system
Congenital malformations,
deformations and chromosomal
abnormalities
Foetuses and newborns affected by
maternal factors and by
complications of pregnancy,
labour and delivery
Injury, poisoning and other
consequences of external causes
Infant
Migrant
Local
31.26
2.87
13.02
10.42
4.31
0
2.6
5.21
14.38
0
13.02
93.81
39.08
130.28
10.06
44.59
4.31
90.61
10.42
18.24
18.24
2.6
4.31
15.82
1.44
10.06
783.7
148.81
59.93
16.69
125.08
11.51
Figure 6. Death rate of children below five years of age in urban Guangdong
by cause of death (100 000 p)
ICD-10
A40-A41
K52
G00-G05
A33
E40-E46
P21
W65-W74
V01-V99
Cause of Death
Septicaemia
Diarrhoea
Meningitis
Tetanus neonatorum
Malnutrition
Neonatal asphyxia
Drowning
Traffic accident
Infant
Migrant
26.06
36.48
10.42
10.42
10.42
411.07
NA
5.21
Local
1.44
2.88
4.31
0
0
73.35
NA
0
Source: Li, Ronghan; Zhao, Qingguo; Zhong, Xixia; Deng, Qundi & He, Qiuyuan (2006).
Zhu, Xiaobin ,
(An analysis of compulsory education policies for migrant
children), (Education Commentary).
193
Kowk, J. (2006), The integration of migrant children in Beijing
schools, Op Cit., , p. 170.
194
2450 (Average
192
school, migrant children tend to have a high dropout rate, low daily attendance and low graduation
rates.202,203 Their attendance rate in Beijing in
1995 was only 12.5 percent, and although this has
improved to nearly 90 percent over the last decade,
it is still below that of their urban counterparts.204
A survey in the Pearl River Delta found the
attendance rate of migrant children in primary
schools was 91.7 percent compared with 99.8
percent of urban local children. And it dropped to
just 75 percent in middle schools (compared with
99.9 percent of urban local children).205
34 (Shenzhen
compulsory education will be free; 340,000 migrant students will
be exempt from book and miscellaneous fees),
197
(Shenzhen News Net), 10 April 2008.
198
Shen, Xiaoge & Zhou, Guoqiang (2006),
(A study on the fairness of education
for migrant children), (Masses Publishing), p.69.
199
(The minimum wage in Guangzhou
will be raised), (Jinyang Net), 2 September 2005.
200
208
209
210
Ibid, p.69.
Ibid.
Ibid.
:
.(Educational Development Department, Ministry of Education:
A brief introduction to educational statistics in China). Quoted in
Shen, Xiaoge and Zhou, Guoqiang (2006), Op
Cit., p. 67-67.
213
Shi, Bainian (2002),
(A strategic analysis of the school attendance of migrant
children), (Journal of China Youth
Political Science College), 21(1):31-35.
214
China Youth Research Centre (2008),
(Chinas Children and Juveniles Statistical Handbook), Beijing:
Science Press, 229.
215
(Migrant workers
211
212
Cit., p. 67.
241
(Dandelion wants
a home. The story of a migrant child in Hangzhou),
(Qianjiang Evening News), 19 April 2007.
242
, (The
crime rate among children of migrant workers is rising. Difficulty
adapting to urban life leads to deviance), (Outlook
News Weekly), 17 October 2006.
243
Lei, Youguang (2004),
-- (The world
through the eyes of urban villagers. An investigative study into the
social cognition of migrant children in the cities.),
(Educational Science Research), 6.
244
Shen, Xiaoge and Zhou, Guoqiang (2006), Op
Cit., p.76.
235
(Dandelion wants
a home. The story of a migrant child in Hangzhou),
(Qianjiang Evening News), 19 April 2007.
252
(In
Beijing, the children of migrant workers are far from home, but
seven out of ten are happy with life), (Peoples Daily),
30 January 2007.
253
China Youth Research Centre (2008),
(Chinas Children and Juveniles Statistical Handbook), Beijing:
Science Press, p.238.
254
Guangzhou Education Association (2003), Selected Essays on
the Findings of Educational Research, quoted in Shen, Xiaoge
and Zhou, Guoqiang (2006), Op Cit., p.167.
255
Lin, Zhi & Weng, Yanyan (2004),
(A survey of the psychological
health of middle school students in migrant schools),
, (China Child Health Magazine), 18(2):11; Yan, Zheng
(2006), (A comparative
study of the health and behaviour of migrant workers children),
PhD thesis, Zhejiang University, p. 15.
256
, (The
crime rate among children of migrant workers is rising. Difficulty
adapting to urban life leads to deviance), (Outlook
News Weekly), 17 October 2006.
257
: (Public opinion sees
left-behind and migrant children as a source of anguish for society
at large), (Shanxi Evening News), 5 March 2008.
258
5002 (Shenzhen
will issue 20,000 residence cards to five million migrants
tomorrow), (Southern Daily), 31 July 2008.
259
Ying, Peili & Zhun, Hongmei (2007),
(Some thoughts on the
criminality of the second generation of migrant workers),
(Issues of Juvenile crime and delinquency), 5, pp.66-68.
251
, (The
crime rate among children of migrant workers is rising. Difficulty
adapting to urban life leads to deviance), (Outlook
News Weekly), 17 October 2006.
257
: (Public opinion sees
left-behind and migrant children as a source of anguish for society
at large), (Shanxi Evening News), 5 March 2008.
258
5002 (Shenzhen
will issue 20,000 residence cards to five million migrants
tomorrow), (Southern Daily), 31 July 2008.
259
Ying, Peili & Zhun, Hongmei (2007),
(Some thoughts on the
criminality of the second generation of migrant workers),
(Issues of Juvenile crime and delinquency), 5, pp.66-68.
260
256
(Report by Tongan District Court shows that more than half of all
juvenile crimes are committed by migrants), (Straits Net),
24 April 2007.
261
, (The
crime rate among children of migrant workers is rising. Difficulty
adapting to urban life leads to deviance), (Outlook
News Weekly), 17 October 2006.
262
Zhai, Lei & Huang, Na,
(Analysis of the health
risk behaviour of local and migrant children in Beijings Haidian
district), (Shouxi Medical Net), 19 August 2008.
263
, (The
crime rate among children of migrant workers is rising. Difficulty
adapting to urban life leads to deviance), (Outlook
News Weekly), 17 October 2006.
(Beijing and Shanghai combine to fund parents search for missing
infants. Experts propose early warning system), (Legal
Evening News), 8 April 2005.
265
Huang, Bangmei ; Lu, Huasong ; Li, Jiangsu
& Zhao, Xingling (2008),
, (The problem of
264
Figure 7. Maternal, neonatal, infant and child mortality rates in China 1991-2007
Year
Maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births
Neonatal mortality rate per 1,000 live births
Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births
Child mortality rate per 1,000 live births
1991
80
33.1
50.2
61
2000
53
22.8
32.2
39.7
2007
36.6
10.7
15.3
18.1
50 (Premium for
medical insurance for children in Xiamen is lowered to 50 yuan),
(Fujian provincial medical insurance
centre), 13 June 2008.
283
On 24 June 1999, Beijing promulgated its Circular on the
temporary implementing regulations to attract talent and the
processing of the Beijing residence card (
), to grant
residence to migrant workers and attract talent.
284
(Beijing
greencard holders children can have medical insurance for serious
diseases), (Jinghua News), 28 July 2007.
285
(Tianjin
city kicks off promotion month for basic medical insurance for
urban residents), (Tianjin Daily), 15 October 2007.
286
(Shenzhen includes
migrant children in hospitalization insurance), (Xinhua
Net), 6 December 2006.
287
(Hangzhou
sets up medical insurance plan for children; migrant children are
allowed to join), (Xinhua Net), 10 December 2006.
288
9175
(Shenzhen medical insurance for children will take effect
on 1 September; the annual premium is 75 yuan),
(Shenzhen Evening News), 18 June 2007.
(Shenzhen
government diligently follows the scientific development approach;
places great importance on assisting migrant workers)
(Shenzhen Special Economic Zone News), 17 November 2008.
290
(Trial implementing
regulations for medical insurance for children in Shenzhen), issued
by the Shenzhen Municipal Government on 14 June 2007, and
effective on 1 September 2007.
291
282
289
11 ( Ya nta i:
Reminding migrant children they are entitled to 11 types of free
vaccination), 29 July 2008.
296
(Public
consultation on the Opinions on deepening health care and
medical reform), 14 October 2008. One is to integrate the rural
and urban medical insurance systems so that migrant workers are
able to receive medical care in the cities. The other is to make sure
enterprises pay for medical insurance for migrant workers with a
labour contract, and have a relatively stable employer-employee
295
relationship.
(Draft Social Insurance
Law), issued by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples
Congress on 28 December 2008.
298
2003
(Circular of the Ministry of Finance
to strengthen efforts to curb arbitrary school fee collection), 23
June 2003.
299
From (China Statistical Yearbook), 19972008.
297
2450
(Average
annual school fees for the children of migrant workers in the city is
2,450 yuan), (Central Government Website),
24 October 2006.
309
966 ( National Bureau
of Statistics: Migrant worker average monthly income is 966
yuan), (People Net), 24 October 2006.
310
more than three years will be eligible for temporary student fee
waivers), (Chinagate.com), 17 May 2008..
314
(It is
common for migrant labourers to fall behind with school fees. As a
result migrant schools close down), (Guangzhou Daily),
20 December 2006.
315
Zhu, Xiaobin
(An analysis of compulsory education policies for migrant
children), (Education Commentary).
316
(Temporary student fee waivers for
migrant workers children), (Xiamen Evening News),
13 January 2007.
317
319
Figure 9. Four scenarios for implementing the two-waiver policy in Longgang district in
Shenzhen, as proposed by the Longgang Education Department
Plan Coverage
1
To waive textbook and
miscellaneous fees only for the
44,000 students with permanent
household residency who are
studying either in state or private
schools.
2
To waive miscellaneous and
textbook fees for students with
permanent household residency,
and; waive miscellaneous,
textbook and temporary student
fees for migrant children who are
eligible for compulsory education
in Shenzhen and studying in state
schools. Total 83,000 students.
Disadvantage: increased
government expenditure.
, (Cheng
Chang: Some suggestions regarding the implementation of free
compulsory education for urban children in our district), (Website
330
(Some
opinions of the Shenzhen government on strengthening and
improving population management in Shenzhen), 1 August 2005.
332
60 (600,000
students in compulsory education will benefit from the twowaiver policy when the semester starts), (Crystal Daily), 1
September 2008.
333
? (Can our children benefit
from the two-waiver policy?), (Shenzhen
Government Online), 18 September 2008.
334
(Fee chart for primary and
secondary schools in Shenzhen), Shenzhen government website.
331
(Opinions on
improving education for migrant children), The General Office of
the Wenzhou government, 22 September 2008.
339
2008 (Shenzhen Statistical Yearbook 2008), p.
55 and p. 57.
338
?
(Where is the best place to live? Ten Chinese cities where residents
have the strongest feeling of happiness), (Zhongxing Net),
7 November 2007.
340
(The
increase of local population is too rapid; Zhuhai plans to raise
the threshold of apartment purchase value for local residency
applications), (Guangzhou Daily), 20 February 2008.
342
(It
is difficult for migrant workers to obtain household residency
in Dongguan; City plans to apply for budgetary funds to build a
virtual community to solve the problem), (Southern
Metropolis Daily), 8 December 2008.
343
China Says 30 Million Workers Have Lost Jobs, Bloomberg,
22 April 2009.
344
The Office of the State Councils Circular on Performing Well
the Current Tasks for Migrant Workers (
) outlined the following measures: 1)
creating jobs and preventing mass layoffs; 2) providing training for
migrant workers and organizing promotional activities for workers;
3) assisting migrant workers to set up their own businesses, and
launching local projects to create job opportunities; 4) speeding up
procedures for mediation and arbitration of labour disputes; and
341
347
Appendix
I.
Scope
(Circular of
behind children
To
combat
criminal
gangs
(Circular of
the Ministry of Public Security on handling the work of leftbehind children) , 20 August 2006
childrens rights
(Circular of
the Ministry of Public Security on handling the work of leftbehind children), 20 August 2006.
To
strengthen
rehabilitation
(Circular of
schools
(Circular of
the Ministry of Public Security on handling the work of leftbehind children), 20 August 2006.
Appendix 61
of compulsory education and the elimination of illiteracy), 6
February 2007.
2008
(Letter from the Basic Education Section
of the Ministry of Education on The 2008 work plan for the
Basic Education Section), 15 February 2008.
20072008
(Circular on disseminating the 2007 work report and the 2008
work plan of the Working Committee on Women and Children
Development of the State Council), 20 March 2008.
2020
(Circular of the State Council Office on the
dissemination of the population policy of the 11th Five-Year
Development Plan and the 2020 Development Plan), 9 June
2007.
2007
2008
(Some opinions of
the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and the
State Council on strengthening agricultural infrastructure,
further promoting agricultural development and raising rural
incomes), 31 December 2007.
behind children
20072008
(Circular on the dissemination of the 2007 work report and
the 2008 work plan of the National Working Committee on
Women and Children under the State Council), 20 March
2008.
left-behind children
2005
(Circular
of
Appendix 63
II.
2 April 1996
2 March 1998
22 May 2001
The main responsibility for education should remain in the out-flowing areas.
29 May 2001
To curb arbitrary fee collection and to practice one-fee system in selected rural
areas
12 June 2001
(Opinions
of the State Council Rectification Office and the Ministry of Education on Further
Curbing Arbitrary Fee Collection)
Related points:
Schools should admit students who are living in the same districts as their schools
and shall not admit unqualified students simply because their parents have made
donation to the school.
15 May 2003
2003
(The State Council forwarding the Circular of the Opinions of the Ministry of Agriculture
and other Departments on Relieving the Burden of Peasants in 2003)
Schools shall not collect fees other than miscellaneous, temporary student and
textbook fees which have not been approved by the state.
23 June 2003
2003
(State Council forwarding the Circular of Opinion of the Ministry
of Education and other Departments on the Work of Curbing Arbitrary Fee
Collection in 2003)
Related points:
Schools shall not collect fees for other parties, apart from textbook fees.
To prohibit the collection of school bus fees and any involuntary donations
Temporary student fees in compulsory education shall not be used to pay for the
salaries of school staff or for the improvement of school facilities
17 Sept 2003
Host cities should guarantee migrant children the right to education and make
sure that the majority of migrant children are admitted to state-run full-time
schools.
30 Sept 2003
admit most migrant children to state schools and increase the admission rate of
migrant children in compulsory education to the level of local children;
incorporate compulsory education for migrant children into the local education
plan, and to coordinate different departments to assist migrant children to receive
education;
Appendix 65
-
make sure migrant children are given equal opportunity to join the Youth
League and the Youth Pioneers, and to compete for honors and awards;
help migrant children adjust to city life and strengthen the communication
between schools and the parents;
set aside a proportion of the citys additional education tax for the education
of migrant children;
ensure private migrant schools attain the standards of state schools in terms
of teaching staff, safety and hygiene.
prohibit schools from collecting money from migrant children who apply to
transfer to urban schools or return to study in their hometowns;
16 March 2004
Migrant children should not pay higher fees than local students.
Other than miscellaneous fees, tuition fees, boarding fees and textbook fees that
have been approved by the state, migrant children should not be asked to pay
temporary student fees or school selection fees.
27 Dec 2004
(Circular of
the State Council on further improving the conditions for peasants who seek employment
in the cities)
Related point:
Admission requirements for migrant children set by primary and middle schools
should be the same as for local children; schools should not collect fees that
contravene state regulations.
25 March 2005
Migrant children studying in the cities should be entitled to the same rights as
the locals. All fees shall be standardized and schools shall not collect temporary
student fees or school selection fees.
31 Jan 2006
To address the problems faced by migrant workers, such as low pay, wage arrears, long
working hours, poor work safety, childrens education, living environment, lack of
effective protection for economic, political and cultural rights
29 June 2006
12 August 2008
(Circular
of
the State Council on the Abolition of Tuition and Miscellaneous fees for Students in
Compulsory Education in Urban Areas)
Related points:
Local governments should admit migrant students who fulfill local criteria to
state-run schools in their districts, waive tuition and miscellaneous fees and not
collect temporary student fees.
13 Nov 2008
100
Implemented
Circular of the Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform
1 Jan 2009
Miscellaneous fees and temporary student fees for compulsory education are on
the list
67