Children from transient families in cities are more likely to drop out of school and are admitted to school at an older age, a government survey shows.

Many of these children are also sent out to work underage, and their parents have to pay more for their children's schooling.

The survey, which depicts an unsatisfactory picture of the education of children of transient families, was released Wednesday by Gu Xiulian, vice-chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and chairman of the All-China Women's Federation.

The survey was conducted by the State Council committee on women's and children's affairs and the China Children's Center, with financial assistance from the Ministry of Finance and the UNICEF.

Over the past year, surveyors visited more than 12,000 parents and about 7,800 children from transient families in nine major cities.

The survey showed:

-- 9.3 percent of these children are dropouts;

-- 46.9 percent of the six-year-old children have not been admitted to elementary school as required by law;

-- almost 20 percent of nine-year-olds are studying in first orsecond grade of primary schools;

-- 31 percent of 13-year-olds and 10 percent of 14-year-olds have not graduated from elementary school.

Their parents have to pay 856 yuan (almost 120 US dollars) morethan other parents in school expenses per child on average, the survey says.

Of the families, 90 percent live in rented accommodation, 79 percent do not have rooms specially for their children, 45 percenthad no toilet, and 36 percent had no kitchen.

According to the fifth national census in 2000, children under 18 account for 19.37 percent of the country's 100 million transient population.

"These children are a special group that calls for greater attention by the whole society," said Zhao Shunyi, director of theChina Children's Center.

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