China: Illegitimate girl deprived of the right to education

"I am a local child. I want to receive compulsory education, too! "

An illegitimate girl of primary-school age in Zhuhai , South China, was turned away by the local schools, because her mother is not able to afford the hefty fine for illegitimacy, according to sohu blogger Han Tao’s report .

Xiao Qing carrying a placard stands at the gate of Gongbei Xiawan Primary School and she is so anxious to go to school like other little boys and girls. 7 years ago, her parents gave birth to her without registering for marriage. Then her father walked out on the family. Since Xiao Qing was born out of wedlock, the mother has to pay a 9000 yuan (about 1321 US dollars) fine to the family planning department so as to apply hukou (a kind of residency permit in China)in Zhuhai for her daughter. However, the single mother cannot afford it, even though Xiao Qing has reached school age. Desperately, the mother could only take her daughter to the relevant departments to ask for help. During two months, they visited the family planning department, the education department, the sub-district office and the local government, but none progress was made. As the new term was coming up and the children of the same age nearby all went to school with new bags, Xiao Qing and her mother were deeply depressed. Failing to intercede with the authorities, the mother came up with her last idea that she wrote down on a piece of paper “I am a local child. I want to receive compulsory education, too”, and let Xiao Qing stand at the school gate with the slogan, hoping such extreme measure would attract the attention of the news media and relevant departments. “The mistake I made has nothing to do with my child. She is a human being. Why can’t she apply hukou? Why can’t she receive education?” Xiao Qing’s mother said to me.

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