Rules for which migrants can study in their adopted cities anger families
Parents say tough criteria for deciding which children can apply for high school and university in adopted cities will penalise them
Migrant parents are unhappy with new State Council guidelines that set harsh rules for deciding which of their children can sit high school and university entrance exams in the cities where they live.
They say the restrictions will deny their children the chance of an education.
Minister of Education Yuan Guiren said yesterday that aside from existing criteria that requires the migrants to have stable jobs, "stable residency" and contribute to social insurance, cities could also set rules, such as when the children attended school in those cities.
He said local governments would also set their own policies based on what type of skilled workers they were trying to attract.
Yuan's comments came just days after the State Council ordered local governments to enact their own policies to allow migrant children to take the exams where they live, rather than having to return to where they have permanent residency.
About 10 years ago the government allowed children of migrant workers to receive free primary and middle school education outside where they hold hukou, or permanent household residency.
Yuan acknowledged yesterday that many of those children were now old enough to sit high school or college entrance exams and where they should take those exams had to addressed.