And for many of China's poorest families, including the children of millions of migrant labourers, finding any school at all can be a problem.

ECONOMIST: China: A revolution in learning to think | The

Life in Beijing is much better than back in rural Hebei, says Li: his wages cover the family's rent, tuition for the underground school for migrant children that his kids attend, as well as the odd night of karaoke.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | The Numbers Game