A solution to the problem of left-behind kids

Qin Xiaohui (R) plays with the other children in his village on July 5, 2012. Qin Xiaohui, then 6, lives in Banlie Village of Bansheng Township in Dahua Yao Autonomous County, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua]

At an executive meeting of the State Council, China's cabinet, on Jan 27, Premier Li Keqiang announced an overall policy arrangement of providing care for left-behind children, who live in rural hometown while their parents migrate to cities for work. Following are media comments:

gov.cn:

"We should not let the left-behind children problem become a family and social pain forever", Premier Li said at the State Council meeting on Jan 27. He added that strengthening the programs that provide care and protection to tens of millions of such children, in order to promote their healthy development, is the common responsibility of families, the government and society.

The meeting urged families to strengthen their custodial role, asked grassroots governments, village (neighborhood) committees and schools to fulfill their responsibilities of providing care and education for the children, and called on social workers and charity organizations to help improve the care-providing system.

Aside from promising to establish a problem-reporting, intervention and assistance system for left-behind children, the meeting also vowed to make more efforts to establish boarding schools and strictly crack down on illegal activities that compromise such children's rights and interests. The meeting also said conditions should be created to enable migrant workers to become urban residents or encourage them to return to their rural homes and launch startups.

Most people migrate to cities to work in order to fulfill their responsibilities toward their children and families. So, the safety of their children is their top concern. Given these facts, the entire society should work together to provide care and love for left-behind children in rural areas.