Migrant worker

China has 120 million rural laborers working in cities and the figure is likely to reach 300 million by 2020. At least one-third of migrant workers are women aged between 17 and 25. The work of migrant workers has translated into 16 percent of China's gross domestic product (GDP) growth over the past 20 years, according to a report released in June by the United Nation's Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) and the Institute of Sociology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Education

The amended Compulsory Education Law, which comes into effect in China on September 1, 2006, contains a new provision that ensures the right to education for children of migrant workers no matter where they live. The provision stipulates that when both parents or legal guardians are migrant workers living and working with their children in locations other than where the family is registered, local governments where they live and work must provide for the child's education.

Job

The government has earmarked 2 billion yuan (US$250 million) from the state budget for a training program for migrant peasants working in cities. The program will use funding support from local governments to improve the skills of 8 million migrant workers over the next five years.