Dispelling Misconceptions: Did Vocational Colleges Reinforce Social Stratification in China?

• In Event: From Pitfalls to Pathways: Reexamining the Social Context of Learning in Nontraditional Spaces and Times

Abstract

Vocational college is an indispensable component of higher education, but it did not receive the attention it deserved in mainland China’s social context. This study uses publicly available datasets CGSS and CFPS to explore the influence of mainland China’s vocational college education on social stratification in different regions and groups. The study analyzes the influence by connecting the two ends of the educational selection among and the private returns to schooling. The results show that vocational college comparatively contributes to social mobility and human capital improvement, promoting sustainable development. The vocational college is not as inferior as one might misconceive. However, regional and urban-rural differences also bring warning to education researchers.

Author

• Chenjun Yu, University of Michigan