Household Assets, School Enrollment and Parental Aspirations for Children’s Education in Rural China: Does Gender Matter?

Using rural household data from the China Household Income Project (CHIP) 2002, this paper provides an analysis of different effects of household assets independent of family income on children’s school enrollment and parental aspirations for education, examining both outcomes by child’s gender. The study first compares the responsiveness of boys’ and girls’ enrollment to the improvement of household assets, measured as liquid assets and net worth, relative to family income. The multivariate regression analysis further detects the effects of household assets on both boys’ and girls’ school enrollment and parental aspirations for children’s future education by child’s gender. Statistical results show that, compared to family income, household assets matter more for girls’ schooling than for boys’. In addition, household net worth is significantly associated with parental aspirations for children’s education regardless of gender. This study, albeit exploratory, sheds light on child welfare and education policies in rural China.

Project: China: Inclusive Asset-Based Policy