RURAL EDUCATION IN CHINA: course to extension of educational opportunities

Abstract

The Chinese leadership modifies many political educationalmeasures in the 2010-s. The article reviews the Chinese government’s main measures aimed at improving the schooling quality in rural areas, preventing the early dropout of children from poor families and expanding support programs for such students. The article shows how the provisions of the national policy to mitigate educational inequality between rural and urban schools are implemented at the local level. An analysis of the programs implemented by the Chinese government and empirical researchdata shows that despite the huge efforts made to improve thequality of compulsory education, many problems and imbalancesin the rural education system cannot be yet overcome.