Education Equality and Civic Engagement: A half-day conference on the development of education NGOs in China

The UCLA Confucius Institute presents a talk by Zheng Hong, Principal of the Dandelion School in Beijing & a talk by Liang Xiaoyan, Secretary-General of the Beijing Western Sunshine Foundation for Rural Development.

This talk explores the role of a nonprofit school in providing quality education to children from low-income migrant families in Beijing. Millions of peasants have flooded into China's major cities seeking a better life--about 20 million of these are the children of migrants. These children are often unable to receive a quality education due to a myriad of social and economic constrains. Dandelion School, which has been in operation for almost five years, is the first and only non-profit middle school established specifically for migrant children in Beijing . It provides a case study of how ordinary people can actively participate in public life in China's more open political atmosphere today.

Located in a neighborhood known for its high crime rate, the Dandelion School bought an abandoned factory and community to life as teachers, staff, volunteers, and donors converted 3.2 acres of land into a thriving school. Ninety-eight percent of the students of Dendelion had failed a standardized test when they first entered the school. Three years of being in a positive and supportive environment has made it possible for these students to pass these tests. More importantly, at Dandelion, students discover a new sense of hope and confidence; they graduate as healthy and capable new citizens. The initial success of Dandelion has demonstrated the possibilities of NGOs in China today stimulating social change.