The Education of Migrant Children and China's Future The Urban Left Behind Routledge Studies in Asia's Transformations Series

There are more than 225 million rural-to-urban migrant workers, and some 20 million migrant children in Chinese cities. Because of policies related to the household registration (hukou) system, migrant students are not allowed a public high school education in the cities, so their urban education stops abruptly at the end of middle school. This book investigates the post-middle school education and labor market decisions of migrant students in Beijing and Shanghai, and provides a glimpse into the future of a crucial link in China?s development. The stories of how these migrant students seek upward mobility and urban citizenship also reveal one of the most intricate structural inequalities in China today.

Based on quantitative data collected from middle schools in Beijing and Shanghai, and ethnographic data drawing on in-depth interviews with migrant children, their parents, and teachers, this book offers a portrait of the migration and educational experiences and prospects of second generation migrant youth in China today. It explores the urban experience of migrant students, contrasting it with that of local city youngsters, examining the migrant students? family backgrounds, family dynamics, neighborhood and school experience, and interaction with locals. It goes on to look at the migrant students? education and career aspirations, the structural obstacles preventing their fulfilment, and how migrant families respond to institutional constraints on educational opportunity. Finally, the book concludes with a discussion of policy implications and offers proposals for resolving the dilemmas of migrant youth.

This book will of great interest to students and scholars of Chinese studies, Asian education, migration and social development.

Part I: Migrant Workers and their Children in Chinese Cities: An Overview 1. Introduction 2. Internal Migration and the Urban Education System Part II: Migrant Children and Their Urban Experience 3. Defining the Migrant Worker's Child 4. Experiencing the City 5. Identity and Reflections on the Urban Experience Part III: Schooling and Career Decisions 6. A Harsh Reality 7. To Return or Not 8. Aspirations and Career Planning 9. Vocational Education Part IV: Further Discussions and Policy Implications 10. Targeting Migrant Students 11. Looking Ahead

Holly H. Ming is a Senior Researcher at The Youth Foundation, Hong Kong, and received her PhD from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, USA.