Children's education has become a top concern for Chinese migrant workers who have flocked into cities from rural areas, says a survey by the National Statistics Bureau.

The survey, covering 6,344 migrant families in ten cities including Beijing and Shenzhen, shows that education environment is an influential element for migrant workers to decide where they will live.

Last year witnessed 113.9 million migrant workers going from countryside to cities. There are 19.82 million children who have entered the cities along with their migrant parents. About 90 percent of them aged 7 to 18 are going to schools. Most children are studying at public schools.

The survey shows that 48.9 percent of parents think tuition in big cities is too high and 32 percent say that the current residential registration system will hinder their children from getting the same education opportunities as those born in cities.

However, the survey also cites some benefits for migrant workers' children, including better education facilities provided by cities.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2004)