Gender Bias in Educational Investment among Chinese Rural Families: An Analysis Based on Data of Rural Multi-Child Households

Abstract

Chinese Women have traditionally had fewer educational opportunities than their male counterparts, which has resulted in measurable gender disparities in socioeconomic status (SES) between the two groups. Despite that China’s implementation of the Compulsory Education Law and family planning policy have effectively mitigated its gender inequality in education, educational expenses remain a heavy burden for multi-child households in rural areas, where gender differences in educational input persist due to financial constraints and traditional bias. This study seeks to investigate the gender gaps in investment in education among Chinese rural families with multiple children and the underlying reasons, using data from the China Household Income Project (CHIP) 2018.