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Educating rural migrant children in interior China: The promise and pitfall of low-fee private schools

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  • Wen, Christine

Abstract

Scholars disagree on the extent to which low-fee private schools can adequately supply education to poor children in developing countries. This article contributes to the debate with a qualitative study in the Chinese context where privatization of education intersects with rural-urban migration. Using grounded theory approach, I examine how these schools aid or hinder migrant children’s settlement and integration in the host city. Fieldwork in the country’s interior region reveals that migrant schools are oriented toward meeting the immediate needs of migrant families but at the cost of children’s future prospects. The conclusion discusses implications for equitable urbanization.

Suggested Citation

  • Wen, Christine, 2020. "Educating rural migrant children in interior China: The promise and pitfall of low-fee private schools," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:79:y:2020:i:c:s0738059320304351
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2020.102276
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    References listed on IDEAS

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