Job Discussion Forums

[London Angel]

Has anyone worked at a school for migrant children, or know the whereabouts of any in Beijing? I am thinking of volunteering for one. These children of migrant workers are in the city, but somehow are invisible. Their fathers are constructing a city fit for the Olympics, their mothers toil away at low paid menial jobs, but we hardly know they exist at all. I am curious to understand a little more about their lives.

[Ludwig]

They are "invisible" because there are no schools for them, not despite having such facilities made available to them.

If they are truly invisible, how do you even know they are even there? Most - if not all - of those construction workers come into the city for a year or two for day-to-day work, and, if you peruse the Chinese media, you will know that quite often they are not even paid for their toils.

Even if these workers were married and had a child, do not assume that they are together, as a family unit; you require a special visa to enter a city if you are from the countryside in China and they are not issued to non-workers. If they are unregistered, then again, they and any children really will be invisible (to the system at least).

It should not be too overly challenging to ascertain the whereabouts of a school for migrant children in Beijing, however, after all, it is called 'the streets'.

[London Angel]

There have frequently been stories in the press about the reluctance of city schools to take these children, so I have no doubts they are in the capital. There definitely have been makeshift schools created for them, but they have been under pressure from the authorities because of their semi legit status.

[Ludwig]

Yes, from my readings on this topic at least, that is how I have understood the situation, too. I think you raise an interesting - and worthy - point.

[ymmv]

London Angel,

You are right, there are such schools. In the past year or so, they have been becoming legitimitized in the larger cities. The old "Hukou" system is being dismantled, albeit slowly.

Many of the larger cities, which rely on migrant labor for both "constructing our brilliant future", as well as providing welfare emploment for the migrant workers flooding the cities, have realized that migrant children accompanying their families to the cities should not be left behind. (Pun intended).

Most of the "migrant children schools" that have been legally established in the last year and-a-half bear the Chinese suffix "Experimental School". That's the "code word" so that the urban "middle-class" parents know not to send their "xiao huang di's" there. So if you are searching for "migrant children" schools to teach at, focus on the "Experimental Schools".

Hope this info helps you; I admire you and your goal. Good luck to you.

[Ludwig]

[London Angel]

In my original post, note that I did not say I wanted to 'help' migrant children! It would be foolish and simplistic of me to assume I could do that. I actually simply want to get a better handle on the realities of the city I feel so attached to. Often I feel as if I am walking around with blinkers on.
I do not intend playing the noble foreigner, thinking somehow that my wonderful presence will inspire eternal gratefulness from the downtrodden. People who think like that are heading for a crash, real disillusionment. Plus its too damn patronising - these migrant workers are a hell of a lot tougher than me - I will certainly learn more from them than vice versa. No, I think it is best just to start with the selfish aim of wanting to learn a bit more about what is going on. If a few kids are amused picking up some English along the way, well, we've all gained something. It would only be for a few hours a week, not much bother. That's the time I would spend watching a couple of DVDs.
Speaking of which, I did see Not One Less. Made me angry, made me cry....the pure viciousness of people in China can be quite astonishing. But if we all were born here, would we be any less wretchedly arrogant towards rural people? I don't understand it. I do not understand why, last summer, my terribly nice Chinese teacher friend shouted at me to ignore some migrant construction workers who waved at me from across the street. I wasn't brought up in such a dog-eat-dog country. Maybe it is just people's fear of being 'polluted' by poverty kicking in.
And no, of course it isn't right that the government should evade helping the people who are turning this country into a modern society. But we have this argument in every country in the world, don't we? Like, how come the US is the richest country on the planet, but so many people can't afford hospital treatment...and so on...uh oh, can of worms...

[Ludwig]

[oprah]

It was interesting to read this thread, and I would like to know how to get this movie mentioned about the transient worker. Is this in English and where could one find it in China, is it on DVD??

[randyj]

I also know little about this situation, but intrigued to learn more. A long article by Hou Wenzhou in the Spring 2002 edition of Harvard China Review describes it in some detail. According to this article, between 2 and 4 million migrant children exist in China. A chaotic jumble of migrant private schools has sprung up as an alternative for poor migrant families to the expensive public education resource. The article also draws a parallel between the plight of migrants and education in poor rural areas. Economic reform has left some of these people behind.

[Ludwig]

[yk1624]

I actually wrote my Thesis in college about migrants in Beijing, so in my research, I interviewed a bunch of them and went on site visits (to their workplaces, homes, and schools). Migrant schools exist all over Beijing, and all over most Chinese cities, mostly within communities of migrants (for example, Henancun, which was outside northwest 4th Ring Road a few years ago, is a community of migrants who come specifically from Henan province, and live and work together, usually specializing in one "trade". Henancun specializes in recycling). When I first visited the schools a few years ago, they were not legally sanctioned by the government, but in the last year or so, there have been new laws made to they have become semi-legal. I don't remember the exact changes, but I think the Beijing Youth Daily printed an article about it a while ago, you might be able contact them and get an archived copy. These schools are always strapped for cash, as the books they use are usually old textbooks that have been donated or scrounged up somehow. Most teachers are migrants themselves, many with only middle school or high schools educations. Classrooms are small and cramped, with around 60 students of all ages in one room at many times. These schools would LOVE to have people come and volunteer there- and I mean both Chinese and foreign volunteers are usually welcomed. I believe the largest migrant school is at Wukesong, which is a stop on the subway- an American friend of mine volunteered there a few years ago.

I want to correct the misconception about "Experimental Schools" that I noticed people were under. EXperimental Schools are not code words for migrant schools. I worked at an Experimental School ("Shiyan xuexiao" in Pinyin), and I was pretty curious as to why they were called that too. I found out that Experimental Schools were given that name because they are specially selected to "try out" new teaching new teaching methods and approaches. Many of them write and publish their own textbooks, and if they, as well as the new teaching methods, are deemed good, they are later implemented in other schools around the city and the country. Teachers are usually specially trained, and highly qualified, and the students are pretty well off; their parents are usually wealthy and influential. These Experimental Schools are at the forefront of China's educational reform movement, really, and could be compared to "Key Schools" for higher education.

I hope this info helps, LONDON ANGEL (and others). Let me know if you have more questions about migrants- I might be able to answer them!!

[Chris_Crossley]

yk1624 wrote: