11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Differences in educational attainment of men and women remained a problem ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23377]

"The UN Economic and Social Council reported that less than 2 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 24 were illiterate. According to 2005 official government statistics, women comprised 73.6 percent of all illiterate persons. In some underdeveloped regions, the female literacy rate lagged behind the male literacy rate by 15 percent or more.
A high female suicide rate continued to be a serious problem. According to the World Bank and the World Health Organization, there were approximately 500 female suicides per day. The suicide rate for females was 25 percent higher than for males. Many observers believed that violence against women and girls, discrimination in education and employment, the traditional preference for male children, the country's birth limitation policies, and other societal factors contributed to the especially high female suicide rate. Women in rural areas, where the suicide rate for women is three to four times higher than for men, were especially vulnerable.
While the gap in the education levels of men and women narrowed, differences in educational attainment remained a problem. Men continued to be overrepresented among the relatively small number of persons who received a university-level education. According to official statistics, in 2005 women accounted for 47.1 percent of undergraduate and college students, 43.4 percent of postgraduate students, and 32.6 percent of doctoral students. Women with advanced degrees reported discrimination in the hiring process as the job distribution system became more competitive and market driven."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

In economically disadvantaged rural areas, many children did not attend school for the required period and some never attended ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23378]

"The law prohibits maltreatment of children and provides for compulsory education. The State Council's National Working Committee on Children and Women was tasked with carrying out policy toward children. Parents must register their children in compliance with the national household registration system within one month of birth. If children are not registered, they cannot access public services.
The law provides for nine years of compulsory education for children. However, in economically disadvantaged rural areas, many children did not attend school for the required period and some never attended. Public schools were not allowed to charge tuition, but after the central government largely stopped subsidizing primary education, many public schools began to charge mandatory school-related fees to meet revenue shortfalls. Such fees made it difficult for poorer families and some migrant workers to send their children to school.
According to 2006 government statistics, 99.27 percent of children nationwide were enrolled in elementary school. In 2005 the government reported that 51.4 percent of primary school students, 45.7 percent of junior secondary school students, and 44.0 percent of senior secondary school students were girls. It was widely believed that the proportion of girls attending school in rural and minority areas was smaller than in cities. According to a Chinese Academy of Social Sciences report, 61 percent of boys and 43 percent of girls in rural areas completed education higher than lower middle school. The government reported that nearly 20 million children of migrant laborers followed their parents to urban areas. Most children of migrant workers who attended school did so at schools that were unlicensed and poorly equipped."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Children and education ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19157]

"The law prohibits maltreatment of children and provides for compulsory education. The State Council's National Working Committee on Children and Women was tasked with carrying out policy toward children.

The law provides for nine years of compulsory education for children. However, in economically disadvantaged rural areas many children did not attend school for the required period and some never attended. Public schools were not allowed to charge tuition, but after the central government largely stopped subsidizing primary education, many public schools began to charge mandatory school-related fees to meet revenue shortfalls. Such fees made it difficult for poorer families and some migrant workers to send their children to school.

According to government statistics, 98.6 percent of children nationwide were enrolled in elementary school. In 2005 the government reported that 51.4 percent of primary school students, 45.7 percent of junior secondary school students, and 44.0 percent of senior secondary school students were female. It was widely believed that the proportion of girls attending school in rural and minority areas was smaller than in cities.

In 2003 the UN special rapporteur on the right to education visited and found that the government failed to provide education to many children of migrant workers and prohibited children from receiving religious education. The special rapporteur expressed serious concern about privatization of the costs of public education and reported that the government compelled parents to pay nearly half the costs of public education, making education inaccessible to many children. The special rapporteur also recommended the government immediately ban the practice of children performing manual labor at their schools to raise funds."

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Unregistered schools shut down ("World Report 2007") [ID 18577]

"In mid-September, Beijing municipal authorities shut down over 50 unregistered schools for children of migrant workers, leaving tens of thousands of children without access to education. This followed a discussion by the authorities about ways to expel one-million migrant laborers from Beijing."

Document(s): Open document

10.2003 - Source: UK Home Office

Country Assessment - October 2003 - Education ("Country Report - October 2003") [#49232],  [ID 3540]

"EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

5.157. The Constitution provides for 9 years of compulsory education. Since 1978, China has adopted a policy ensuring at the 9 years of compulsory schooling, ensuring students complete a primary and middle school programme. In practice about 7 years of education are achieved on average. Pre-school education is stated as existing, but schooling really begins at 6 to 7 years old with primary schooling. High school education is a six year programme, divided into a three year junior high school programme, and then a further senior programme.

5.158. Much of the senior programme is grooming for higher education exams. Higher education has a two tier approach, with 2 to 3 years courses and 4 to 5 year degree courses. Graduate courses are also run. Nationwide college entrance examinations are held within the first ten days of each July (nicknamed "Black July"). Student debts and accusations of access-through-bribery are current concerns in Chinese universities. Special low interest loan schemes created by the Government in 1999, when universities were permitted to charge fees, are floundering as graduates are finding the loans difficult to repay. [9gj] There are also allegations that students are being chosen on hidden criteria, such being well-connected, as much as on their individual academic prowess."

Document(s): Open document