Migrant School

In exchange for low enrolment fees, migrant school students commonly endure deplorable sanitary, security, and classroom conditions.

Substandard quality of education is also a major issue within migrant schools, with children that attend placing much lower in standardized testing in relation to their peers enrolled in public institutions.

[2] In May 2001, the State Council issued a Decision on the Reform and Development of Basic Education, highlighting the importance of prioritizing the admission migrant children to public schools.

[7][6] It was stipulated that migrant children's education should be integrated into the cities' overall social development plans, and that public schools should receive more funds to accommodate them.

For instance migrant families are typically required to provide a plethora of documentation and certifications to access schooling for their children, which serve as barriers for many.

Local authorities have launched numerous campaigns over the last decade to crack down on unlicensed migrant schools, often citing safety concerns and issues with proper licensing.

However, many schools that were demolished had passed multiple government inspections, and the true motive for closures often involved clearing land for new commercial and housing developments.

The closures were justified by authorities citing the schools' failure to meet official standards for construction, sports facilities, and safety regulations.

Migrant school administrators disputed the closures by citing their inability to meet official standards due to the complete absence of funding and support by the government.

Demolition work began in October 2017, just before the 19th Party Congress, leaving many migrant children with no choice but to opt for education opportunities even further away than they were once previously, or to return to their rural homesteads, away from their parents.