The Only Child and Educational Opportunity for Girls in Urban China

Abstract

Using data from the authors' 1998-99 survey of 1,040 eighth graders in Wuhan, China, this study explores the differences between single-girl and single-boy families with regard to parental expectation and investment in children's education, children's own educational aspirations, and mathematics performance. The authors found that contrary to the known intrafamily discrimination against girls common among families of pre-one-child generations and still common among contemporary rural families with more than one child, there are no gender differences related to education between single-girl and single-boy families in modern urban China. The authors found equally high educational aspirations and similar mathematical performance for male and female only children. They suggest that this gender equality in education is an unintended consequence of the one-child-per-family policy and that under China's current social and economic conditions, girls are better off living in one-child families in the big cities of modern China.

Socioeconomic Disparity in Healthcare-Seeking Behavior among Chinese Women with Genitourinary Symptoms

“…The college entrance examination is extremely competitive, however, and only very limited numbers of high school graduates can be admitted to colleges or universities. 20 Therefore, we chose to classify the educational levels into four groups to fully account for those factors.…”

Women rising as half of the sky? An empirical study on women from the one-child generation and their higher education participation in contemporary China

“…Studies at the individual family level complement a larger body of work on the changing demographic policy on women's opportunities and aspirations. Research demonstrates a shift in parental values and perceptions through investment plans in education and engagement with their children's study (Kim et al 2016;Kim and Fong 2014;Wang and Fong 2009;Fong 2004Fong , 2002Tsui and Rich 2002). There used to be the situation where large families invested little in each child or prioritized their resources in favor of sons.…”

Do Mothers in Rural China Practice Gender Equality in Educational Aspirations for Their Children?

“…In many parts of China, especially in urban China, gender differences in educational attainment are now fairly small. In a study of one large city in China, Ming Tsui and Lynne Rich (2002) found that, among single-child families, there was no gender difference in parents' educational aspirations and educational spending for their sons and daughters.…”