Hallam Hurt 2017: Exploring Girls' Education in Rural China

Sun spent twelve days traveling through China, with stops at elementary schools in Beijing, Rizhao, and Chuxiong. Her central question, “In what ways are girls in rural China and their access to education impacted when their parents are completely absent due to lack of employment opportunities?”, guided her questions in interviews with students and educators, and helped draw the lines of division in access to education between rural and urban schools in China.

During her trip, Sun had the chance to observe different classroom management styles, teach math classes, and interview students and their families. She also had the opportunity to visit the homes of several students, where she observed the educational and social issues that arise for girls with absent parents. Speaking of her findings, Sun said, “We have areas where girls’ education is secondary to that of boys, and areas where attending high school is a faraway dream. These are the realities we face, but not the ones we have to accept forever.” In the future, she hopes to bring more attention to the inequality in educational opportunities for girls living in China through her ongoing research.