A number of deputies at the current session of the Guangdong provincial people's congress are seeking a better deal for migrants and their children.

According to the provincial labor and social security department, Guangdong has a "floating population" of 26 million migrants, including some 2.44 million school-age children.

"Guangdong accounts for a third of the country's total migrant workers," lawyer and deputy, Zhu Lieyu, said.

This year, for the first time, six migrant workers were elected as deputies to the provincial people's congress, which has a total membership of 790.

Zhu said that as a result of their parents' migration, there are now millions of rural children living in cities or towns. But the cost of educating them is a heavy burden on lowly paid migrant workers.

According to current educational policies, migrant children are not eligible to take college entrance examinations in the cities or towns where their parents work, even if they have received their elementary and middle school education there.

"The government should abolish the current policy and build at least 10 schools for migrant children," Zhou said.

He has submitted a proposal to the congress.

However, Luo Weiqi, director of the Guangdong provincial education bureau, told China Daily: "The request is impossible to realize this year. We can't solve all educational problems in a short time."

The policy for the college entrance exam was enacted by the central government, Luo said, so the provincial government cannot do anything, even though it agrees it is unfair.

"But we will spare no effort to improve elementary and secondary education for migrant children," Luo said.

The issue of migrant workers is complicated, but the government is beginning to pay more attention to it, he said.

Zhang Zhiya, who is in his 30s, is one of the six new migrant deputies. He moved to Shenzhen from Jiangsu Province seven years ago. Initially employed as a security guard, he is now the manager of a real estate company.

"I will work with the other five deputies to submit proposals to improve wages and social security cover for migrant workers," Zhang said.

(China Daily January 22, 2008)