Social justice and migrant children: Exploring the design and implementation of education policies for migrant children in China

Abstract

Drawn from 14 educational policy documents and 26 interviews with educators of internal migrant children in China, this paper examines the design and implementation of educational policy for Chinese internal migrant children in the past three decades through the theoretical lens of social justice. Taking Guiyang city as the focus, this study demonstrates that educational policy and provision for migrant children are part of an evolving process impacted by interrelations between issues, such as the hukou system, (lack of) government funding and tensions between central and local governments. Although migrant children increasingly have access to improved opportunities, their outcomes remain poor relative to their peers from urban areas. New policies aiming to mitigate the disadvantages of migrant children are needed.