抄録
This paper analyzes educational disparity and attainment in contemporary China. Analysis of CHIPS (The Chinese Household Income Project Survey) has revealed several facts which cannot be understood from government statistics alone.
First, formal education in China developed rapidly until the end of the 1980s, and educational disparity amongst the citizenry as measured by years of education has decreased. This is attributable to the execution of mandatory education laws and associated increases in investment. Second, educational disparity between generations as seen from birth cohorts is large, but is decreasing within generations. A reduction in educational disparity can be observed between men and women, and even among the east, central and western regions. Third, educational disparity between urban and rural areas is decreasing slowly, but the trend has indeed become apparent. Higher income regions show smaller educational disparities between urban and rural areas. Fourth, the educational level of Han peoples is higher than that of minority groups on the whole. However, this trend cannot be observed in urban areas, and the correlation weakens with time. In some regions, the relationship does not hold or even reverses. Fifth, when looking at differences in qualitative educational measurements, such as college applicant population percentage by age, college applicant acceptance rate or entrance exam deviation value, educational disparities between regions and between urban and rural areas are still large. However, no significant
disparity can be detected between ethnic groups or men and women. Sixth, among individuals of
comparable scholarly ability, a difference in sex, ethnicity, or region results in no statistically significant change in the rate of advancement to higher education. However, the rate of educational advancement in urban areas is far and away higher than in rural areas. There is inequality in educational opportunity originating in the current hukou (household registration) system.
