Parents appeal for right to equal education(2)

As some 30 police officers guarded the office gate, five parent representatives negotiated with the ministry and police officials inside the complaints office. After he came out, one of the representatives, Du Guowang, said the negotiation did not go anywhere.

"The answers remain the same. There's no timetable yet. They said it's difficult to mobilize resources in different provinces and cities," Du said.

After hearing Du's news, the parents were disappointed and began discussing the lack of a response. Eventually, police ordered the parents to disperse.

"Some say if the restrictions are off, more migrants will come and share limited resources with Beijing's kids. But we welcome migrant children, and so do many Beijingers we know of," said Beijinger Ding Jiaxi, chief partner at Beijing D&H Law Firm, who has been volunteering at the "Education for All" parents' league.

Fifteen scholars, including professors at Peking University, submitted a letter to the State Council on October 24, 2011, calling for a lifting of hukou restrictions for college entrance exams. At the same time, 20 parents released a draft plan for changes to the current policy. The ministry said it was working on a plan for migrant students, but there was no timetable for finalization.

"Problems caused by the restrictions need to be solved in the process of urbanization, but how and when to settle a solution needs more discussion and time," said Chu Zhaohui, a researcher with China National Institute for Educational Research.

"It takes better coordination between the central finance department, the household registration administration and the municipal government," he said.

"Better balance with other social resources is needed so people in different areas can enjoy equal rights," Chu said.

As of September 2011, there were 478,000 migrant children in school up to grade nine, whose parents work in Beijing, according to the Municipal Education Commission.

The Ministry of Education did not reply to a faxed request for an interview yesterday.