With these provinces working on the policy to permit children of migrant workers to take the college exam where they are, China is a step closer to eliminating inequality, and putting a fairer educational system on track.
What is a good life? To most migrant workers, education matters most.
That dream is becoming reality as provinces will soon be allowing the children of migrant workers to take entrance exam in the city where they live.
Hu Yanhuai, a sophomore migrant student in Fujian province’s Jin Jiang city was pleased to learn the news.
Hu Yanhuai, said, "I was so happy when I read about the policy in the newspaper. This means I can stay in the city where my parents work. We don’t have to separate."
Like most children of migrant workers who work outside of their hometowns, Hu didn’t have the luxury of time with his parents growing up.
But after his parents found their footing in the city a few years ago, he was transferred to the middle school there.
The household registration restrictions meant though, that he would have to go back to his hometown to sit the college entrance exam.
Hu Yanhuai said, "It would be a problem if I had to go back for the exam, as we learn differently from province to province. The whole learning progress is so different, which would make it difficult for me when I’m revising."
The policy means Hu and many other migrant students will not face these problems any more.
Xue Weimin, Deputy Director of the Fujian Education Department, said, "In consideration of the many inequalities faced by migrant students, we are working out plans to provide fairer educational opportunities. In terms of Fujian province, migrant students would have equal rights as local students, provided they have attended high schools in the province for three consecutive years. And the policy will start from 2014."
Luckily, Hu will be just in time to catch the first train of equality.
Hu said, "I would love to be a teacher when I grow up. I know how it feels when you’re new to a city. And I want to provide more help and communication for those migrant students like me studying in the city."
It’s a step forward to close the educational gaps between different social groups.
But the road to deeply reform the college entrance system is still long.