Date of Award

8-20-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Policy Studies (DPS)

First Advisor

Prof. LIN Li Jocelyn

Abstract

The study focused on the disparity in educational opportunities between urban and rural areas. This has been one of the most debated topics in China, especially when related to Guangdong Province. This dissertation explored how disparities in urban-rural educational outcomes influence individual career attainment and income levels and discusses the broader socio-economic implications of such disparities. This study positioned its analysis within the structural-functionalist framework and underlined how inequities in educational resources affect career outcomes. This focuses on a household registration policy called the hukou system, which has played a crucial role in determining education's access to resources and career consequences. Suppose urban students can enjoy well-financed schools, high-quality teachers, and more opportunities for higher education. In that case, rural students have to put up with poor infrastructure, lower investments in education, and limited career options. Some policy measures, such as the teacher rotation system and urban-rural integrated education reforms, have been proposed to reduce this gap, but inequity is still sharp.

The research was conducted quantitatively, and a survey questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was collected amongst the workers in Guangdong Province, China. There were 559 questionnaires collected from the participants, including 250 (44.72%) male and 309 (55.28%) female. The empirical evidence indicates that education has transformed careers, and individual merit and education attainment are now more decisive in shaping a career than the parents' occupation. However, inequality persists because students from urban areas are much more likely to be enrolled in academic colleges than rural students. The study mentioned how career attainment access to higher education greatly influences employment opportunities and improves income status. While vocational education offers alternate career routes, students in rural settings lack access to facilities. Another significant factor to consider in the study is career readiness, which includes academic preparation, skill acquisition, and career counseling. The research findings revealed that urban students are better guided in their careers, and thus, they make informed decisions about their education and profession, while rural students have limited resources. The dissertation further examined the relationship between education and wages, which indicates that the higher the education level, the higher the wage. However, graduates in rural settings tend to suffer from wage disparity because of weak networks, a lack of employment opportunities, and a lack of elite institutional credentials. The findings of this study bring to the fore that equitable access to education in this era needs some policy interventions, particularly targeting rural students. Strengthening vocational training, improving digital infrastructure, and making career guidance more available in rural schools may help narrow the gap.

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Chen, S. (2025). The impacts of urban and rural education inequality on individual career development: The case of Guangdong Province (doctoral thesis, Lingnan University, Hong Kong). Retrieved from https://commons.ln.edu.hk/otd_tpg/35/

Download

Share

COinS