Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 543

Proceedings of the 2021 6th International Conference on Social Sciences

and Economic Development (ICSSED 2021)

The Impact of Education Costs on Family Fertility

Rate in China
Jiangnan Wang
Beijing 21st Century International School, Beijing, 100089, China
Corresponding author’s e-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
According to the social report, the rate of fertility in China is around 1.65 continuously at a relative low level since 2000
[4]. Therefore, to find out the reasons behind the low fertility and encourage the childbearing couple to have children is
of importance. To explore the reasons of low fertility, the author made a questionnaire among parents of children in Z
city in central China. A total number of 200 questionnaires were issued, of which 194 were valid. According to research
results, it is found that the learning cost and opportunity cost of education have a significant influence on parents' fertility
intention. Therefore, the author put forward the following suggestions. Firstly, it is suggested that parents should be
more rational on the investment in children's education. What is more, the investment in preschool education and child
care allowances should be increased. In addition, both men and women should have maternity to take care of the new-
born babies.

Keywords: Education cost, opportunity cost, low fertility rate in China, questionnaire

1. INTRODUCTION the corresponding low fertility willingness. The data

involved in this paper are mainly collected from the
According to social reports, since 2000, China's questionnaire survey. In the process of the survey, 194
fertility rate has been about 1.65, which is a relatively low parents were randomly selected to conduct a
level [4]. The low fertility rate can cause social problems questionnaire survey. A total of 200 questionnaires were
such as the aging of the population. According to reports, issued and 200 were recovered, of which 194 were valid,
China’s aging crisis has worsened. According to the with an effective recovery rate of 97%. This paper aims
United Nations (UN) standards, three provinces of China, to provide people with suggestions and reference of this
namely Liaoning, Shanghai, and Chongqing, reached topic.
14% in 2017, suggesting that they have entered a state of
deep aging [5]. Therefore, how to increase the fertility 2. THE EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS
rate to prevent a series of problems caused by aging has
become a top priority. Actually, since 2000, China has 2.1. Basic information of the respondents
gradually changed the family planning. Accordingly,
families are allowed to have a second child. However, the Table 1 shows the basic information of the parents
number of new-born babies is not as large as expected. who participated in the survey. The table includes several
Thus, what hides behind the low fertility rate is the low factors, including the relationship between the parents
fertility willingness. Under this background, the author and their children, age, city, number of children they have
will analysis the reasons behind the low fertility rate and had, etc.
Table 1 Basic information statistics
Options Frequency The percentage (%)
Father 38 19. 6
Relationship Mother 136 70. 1
Others 20 10. 3
under26 10 5.2
26-30 76 39.2
Age
31-35 66 34.0
36-40 38 19.6

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 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 543

above40 4 2.1
1 120 61. 9
Number of children 2 72 37.1
3or more 2 1.0
Total 194 100

Among the collected 194 valid questionnaires, the

actual respondents included 38 fathers, accounting for 2.2. The impact of education costs on child-
19.6% of the total; 136 mothers, accounting for 70.1% of bearing
the total; and only 20 respondents with other family
By looking up literature, the author analyzes the
relationships, accounting for 10.3% of the total.
education costs from the following three perspectives,
Respondents aged mainly concentrated in two ranges of
including family learning cost, family opportunity cost
age, which are 26 to 30 and 31 to 35, accounting for
and family admission cost.
39.2% and 34.0% respectively, and take up about 73.2%
of the total number of investigation. It shows that
respondents are mainly born after 1985 and 1990, who
2.2.1. Home learning cost analysis
are generally young parents in the midst of the birth of It can be seen from table 2 that survey of family per
the golden age, and fertility intentions survey has capita income level are mainly around three intervals of
reference value to them. 120 respondents have only one 1501-3000 yuan, 3001-4500 yuan and 4501-6000 yuan,
child, taking up 61.9% of the total. 72 people have two accounted for 12.4%, 16.5% and 28.9% respectively.
children, accounting for 37.1% of the total. Only two Overall, the families with per capita income in 3000 yuan
respondents have three or more children, which only or more have larger degree of freedom of choice in
accounts for 1.0% of the total. Thus, it can be seen that children education spending, and they have the ability to
almost two-thirds of respondents only have one child, create a favorable learning environment for children.
suggesting that the random number of birth in a family
is one child.
Table 2 Statistical table of per capita monthly income of families
1501~ 3001~ 4501~ 6001~ 7501~ 9001~ 10501~1 Above1
Under1500 Total
3000 4500 6000 7500 9000 10500 2000 2000
The
percentage of
monthly 0.0% 66.7% 68.8% 28.6% 44.4% 11.1% 25.0% 25.0% 23.1% 100%
income per
person (%)

education expenditure accounts for more than 40% of the

2.2.2. Analysis on educational expenditure total annual expenditure. For them, the economic
As can be seen from table 3, 36.1% of families spend expenditure on children's education will become a heavy
less than 20% of the total annual family expenditure on burden for the family. However, they can also be
education, and 47.4% of families spend 20% of the total understood that as the idea of parental rearing children
annual family expenditure on preschool education. 40% changed, they pay more and more attention to the child's
of 15.5% of families spend 40% of the total annual family education, so they are willing to spend money in every
expenditure on education, 60% of families even two stage of education of children, even if the foundation of
families spend less than 60%. This shows that the education need them to pay a lot of financial resources.
families in the survey still spend a lot of money on Therefore, it can be seen that, compared with the number
children's education. There are 32 families whose of children, parents are attaching much attention to the
quality of the children.

Table 3 The ratio of the family's educational economic expenditure to the family's total annual expenditure for
different children's education

The proportion of total annual household expenditure

Total
0%~20% 20%~40% 40%~60% 60%~80%
In families with only one
43.3 40.0 16.7 0.0 100.0
child (%)<N=120)
The number In families with two
25.0 58.3 13.9 2.8 100.0
of children children (%)N=72)

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In families with three

children or more 0 100.0 0 0 100.0
(%)(N=2)

2.2.3. Family opportunity cost analysis financial burdens, who were busy with work so they
might have less time to accompany children. It is also
A multi-choice analysis on the problem of who takes reflected in table 4 that the "father" only has 46 times of
more care of children showed that in most families, the choice, accounting for 15.0%, who is to be chosen with
mother was the primary caregiver, with 142 times of one of the lowest frequency. Apart from "mother" that
choice, accounting for 46.4% of the total. The influence accounts for the highest proportion, "grandparents", who
of the traditional concept in China has lasted for a long is selected for 119 times, accounts for 38.8%, with more
time, that as men went out frequently, the father in a than twice of the percentage of "father", indicating that
family played a more important role in the family grandparents spend more time with their children than the
father.
Table 4 Primary caregivers of children

The response
Percentage of cases
N Percentage
The child’s primary Father 46 15.0% 23.7%
caregiver Mother 142 46.3% 73.2%
Grandparents 119 38.8% 61.3%
Total 307 100% 158.2%

At present, a common social phenomenon in China is To sum up, it shows that grandparents can help to take
that the grandparents help to take care of the child. The care of children to reduce the opportunity cost of parents'
main reason is that young parents are too busy with their sacrifice to a certain extent.
jobs and livelihoods to take care of their young children
At the same time, as also can be seen from table 5,
around the clock, so grandparents start to take care of
51.7% of families with one child have the experience of
their children. As can be seen from table 5,
sacrificing opportunity cost. Seven percent of families
"grandparents" is selected as the highest rate among the
who have a second child have sacrificed opportunity
three options, with 79.3%, under the case that the parents
costs to have a child. Although there are only two families
do not sacrifice opportunity cost. Among the families that
with three children in the sample, all family members
have a second child, "grandparents" and "father" were
sacrifice opportunity costs for the sake of having a child,
chosen at the same rate of 50.0%, which was also the
and the proportion is 100.0%. It suggests that as the
highest without sacrificing opportunity cost. Only two
number of children increases, parents are more likely to
families have three children or more, and both parents
sacrifice opportunity costs
sacrifice their opportunity costs to care for their children.

Table 5 Whether parents sacrifice opportunity cost and proportion of families with different number of children and
their primary caregivers
The child’s primary caregiver
Number of children already born Grandparents or Total
Father Mother
grandparents
Proportion of families
25.8 74.2 58.1
having one child (%)
Parents sacrifice
opportunity costs
Proportion of total (%) 13.3 38.3 30.0 51.7
1
(N=120)
Parents are not Proportion of families
31.0 58.6 79.3
sacrificing having one child (%)
opportunity costs Proportion of total (%) 15.0 28.3 38.3 48.3
Total Proportion of total (%) 28.3 66.7 68.3 100.0
2 Parents sacrifice Proportion of families
12.5 79.2 37.5
(N=72) opportunity costs having one child (%)
Proportion of total (%) 8.3 52.8 25.0 66.7

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Parents are not Proportion of families

25.0 91.7 75.0
sacrificing having one child (%)
opportunity costs Proportion of total (%) 8.3 30.6 25.0 33.3
Total Proportion of total (%) 16.7 83.3 50.0 100.0
Parents sacrifice Proportion of families with
3or more 100.0 50.0
opportunity costs more than three child(%)
(N=2)
Total Proportion of total (%) 100.0 50.0 100.0

2.2.4. Cost of family on school district housing expenditure of children's admission to school. According
to the statistical results in table 6, among the families that
It is commonly believed that the environment is a very have participated in the survey, 57.7% of the families
important factor to impact people. In order to create a have the plan or experience of buying a house in the
good learning environment for children, the ancient school district for their children, and 32.0% of them have
Meng’s mother moved three times. Currently, there are the plan or experience of renting a house with their
countless parents take out years of savings to buy children. In addition, 46.4% have the plan or experience
expensive school district housing without hesitation, for of paying school choice fees for their children. Thus, it
letting children study in a primary or secondary school can be seen that the cost of children's entering school has
with good quality. Since the implementation of the policy become one of the education costs that cannot be ignored
of nearby enrollment in school districts, a series of at present. Although it cannot be the main factor
problems of choosing a school have been derived, and the influencing parents' fertility intention, it also has a certain
costs associated with them certainly become parts of the effect.
Table 6 Employment cost statistics table
Effective
Question Frequency Percentage
percentage(%)
Whether there is a plan or experience for a Yes 112 57.7 57.7
child to go to good school to buy a house in No 82 42.3 42.3
the school district Total 194 100.0 100.0
Yes 62 32.0 32.0
Whether have any plans or experience to
No 132 68.0 68.0
rent and accompany to school
Total 194 100.0 100.0
Yes 90 46.4 46.4
Whether there is a plan or experience to pay
No 104 53.6 53.6
school choice fees for the child
Total 194 100.0 100.0

3. RESULTS AND SUGGESTIONS more than one child) have the experience of sacrificing
opportunity cost for the sake of rearing children, and the
3.1. Results parents are more likely to sacrifice opportunity cost with
the increase of the number of children. In a family where
3.1.1. High learning cost reduces parents' the mother is the primary caregiver for the child, the
fertility desire mother is more likely to be the child caregiver at the cost
of opportunity in the family. With the increase of
Nowadays, young parents pay more attention to their opportunity cost, parents' desire to have children is
children's investment in preschool education and hope to gradually weakening. The opportunity cost of parents'
give their children the best education. This is bound to sacrifice will not only increase the financial burden of the
increase the cost of family education and learning, and to family, but also disrupt the original career plan of the
a certain extent, to restrain parents' desire to have parents, which may lead to the loss of their personal job
children. satisfaction.

3.1.2. Loss of opportunity cost weakens parents' 3.1.3. Higher education costs have a weak
fertility intention impact on parents' fertility desire

Taking care of children is tedious, as it consumes time Most parents expect their children to go to college,
and energy, as well as causes some parents to sacrifice some even expect their children to get a master’s degree.
opportunity costs for child care. More than half of both Parents have high expectations for their children, so they
families with one child and families with two children (or will do their best to give their children a better education

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at children’s every stage of learning, which means that cost could be reduced. It will also make some informal
many parents pay a lot for their children to study in good education institutions failed to seek profits and lose their
schools and school admissions. However, pressure development space. They will finally be eliminated from
should not be the only main factor that affects people's the market, which will create a good environment for the
reluctance to have children. education market.

3.2. Suggestions 3.2.3. Family maternity leave shall be

implemented
3.2.1. The government should play a leading role
and increase investment in education The implementation of maternity leave system in
China has been discussed for a long time, which is mainly
In the first place, the government should pay more aimed at female employees. As a family unit, husband
attention to education, especially basic education, which and wife should be entitled to maternity leave at the same
is very significant for the development of children, so the time. Therefore, in recent years, most provinces and cities
government should improve the degree of attention to the in China have adjusted and improved the maternity leave
education, and follow the strategy of developing the system to varying degrees, including maternity leave not
country by relying on science and education through the only for female employees, but also paternity leave for
view of sustainable development. As a very important their spouses. The average female worker's maternity
part of the education development plan, governments and leave is about 98 days, and her spouse's paternity leave is
departments at all levels should collaborate to cooperate about 15 days. According to the research, the reasonable
and make common efforts for the realization of good length of maternity leave has a positive impact on
development of preschool education. women's occupational loyalty.
Secondly, it is a good way to establish funds 4. CONCLUSION
guarantee mechanism and standardize financial
management. Government should invest more into In this paper, the author made a questionnaire and
education and increase education fiscal funds investment. attained some data which were presented through tables.
Governments at all levels must conscientiously It can be seen that considering the expenditure on
implement all financial support policies and take setting education, the family fertility rate is affected. In addition,
up special funds as the priority among different purposes. the number of the child in a family has the impact on the
What is more, the regulation of the spending should be parents’ willing to sacrifice their opportunity costs. Based
strengthened, and a mechanism for ensuring adequate on the statistics, the author proposed pieces of
funding for education should be established, in order to suggestions such as advice for government and
gradually achieve education financial management implementation of maternity leave so that in the future,
standardization in China. there will be less pressure on parents as well as much
better educational environment for children.
Thirdly, it is necessary to improve the construction of
teaching staff. With the development of education, the ACKNOWLEDGMENT
scale of schools is gradually expanding, which requires
This paper is finished under the guidance of my
support from adequate amount of teachers. The
Professor and other teachers. I really appreciate their
construction of teaching staff means to expand the
enlightenment and suggestions.
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