A Study on the Inequality of Basic Education Expenditure per Student in China: Based on the Gini Coefficient and Theil Index

doi:10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2022.01.005

Abstract

Abstract:

The equity of expenditure per student on basic education affects the equity of educational process and outcome. Based on the data of expenditure per student on basic education and the data of current students from 1995 to 2018, this paper estimates the equity degree of expenditure per student on basic education in China by calculating the Gini coefficient and Theil index. It is found that the equity of expenditure per student on basic education is generally at a “relatively fair” and “relatively reasonable” level and became more equitable from 1995 to 2018. The inter-provincial difference of basic education expenditure per student is greater than the regional difference. The expenditure of basic education per student in eastern China varies greatly among provinces, and the degree of equity is low. The fairness of the average expenditure of senior high school students tends to decrease. According to the research findings, relevant policy recommendations are put forward.

Key words: basic education, education expenditure per student, education equity, Gini coefficient, Theil index

Lele Geng. A Study on the Inequality of Basic Education Expenditure per Student in China: Based on the Gini Coefficient and Theil Index[J]. Journal of East China Normal University(Educational Sciences), 2022, 40(1): 60-73.

Figures/Tables 9

年份	小学					初中					高中
年份	Theil	T_b	T_w	CT_b (%)	CT_w (%)	Theil	T_b	T_w	CT_b (%)	CT_w (%)	Theil	T_b	T_w	CT_b (%)	CT_w (%)
1995	0.074	0.022	0.052	29.7	70.3	0.048	0.020	0.028	41.7	58.3	0.091	0.037	0.054	40.7	59.3
1996	0.069	0.021	0.048	30.4	69.6	0.052	0.016	0.036	30.8	69.2	0.086	0.042	0.044	48.8	51.2
1997	0.081	0.025	0.056	30.9	69.1	0.090	0.015	0.043	16.7	83.3	0.092	0.047	0.045	51.1	48.9
1998	0.084	0.025	0.060	29.8	70.2	0.066	0.017	0.048	25.8	74.2	0.082	0.036	0.045	43.9	56.1
1999	0.094	0.029	0.065	30.9	69.1	0.082	0.023	0.059	28.0	72.0	0.080	0.032	0.048	40.0	60.0
2000	0.100	0.033	0.067	33.0	67.0	0.093	0.029	0.064	31.2	68.8	0.074	0.037	0.038	50.0	50.0
2001	0.081	0.020	0.061	24.7	75.3	0.092	0.028	0.064	30.4	69.6	0.084	0.035	0.049	41.7	58.3
2002	0.099	0.032	0.068	32.3	67.7	0.099	0.033	0.066	33.3	66.7	0.088	0.038	0.050	43.2	56.8
2003	0.111	0.038	0.073	34.2	65.8	0.119	0.043	0.076	36.1	63.9	0.103	0.046	0.057	44.7	55.3
2004	0.109	0.037	0.072	33.9	66.1	0.127	0.046	0.081	36.2	63.8	0.110	0.049	0.060	44.5	55.5
2005	0.099	0.034	0.065	34.3	65.7	0.119	0.043	0.076	36.1	63.9	0.109	0.052	0.057	47.7	52.3
2006	0.094	0.029	0.064	30.9	69.1	0.110	0.038	0.072	34.5	65.5	0.103	0.050	0.053	48.5	51.5
2007	0.087	0.025	0.063	28.7	71.3	0.096	0.031	0.065	32.3	67.7	0.089	0.036	0.053	40.4	59.6
2008	0.085	0.020	0.065	23.5	76.5	0.075	0.018	0.057	24.0	76.0	0.085	0.031	0.053	36.5	63.5
2009	0.088	0.019	0.069	21.6	78.4	0.078	0.015	0.063	19.2	80.8	0.082	0.031	0.051	37.8	62.2
2010	0.093	0.024	0.069	25.8	74.2	0.089	0.020	0.069	22.5	77.5	0.084	0.029	0.055	34.5	65.5
2011	0.088	0.021	0.067	23.9	76.1	0.081	0.016	0.065	19.8	80.2	0.079	0.025	0.054	31.6	68.4
2012	0.070	0.013	0.057	18.6	81.4	0.068	0.010	0.058	14.7	85.3	0.063	0.016	0.047	25.4	74.6
2013	0.069	0.013	0.056	18.8	81.2	0.067	0.011	0.056	16.4	83.6	0.074	0.018	0.055	24.3	75.7
2014	0.064	0.011	0.053	17.2	82.8	0.063	0.011	0.052	17.5	82.5	0.083	0.022	0.060	26.5	73.5
2015	0.053	0.009	0.044	17.0	83.0	0.054	0.010	0.045	18.5	81.5	0.074	0.023	0.051	31.1	68.9
2016	0.055	0.008	0.047	14.5	85.5	0.057	0.011	0.046	19.3	80.7	0.082	0.024	0.058	29.3	70.7
2017	0.052	0.009	0.043	17.3	82.7	0.058	0.013	0.044	22.4	77.6	0.078	0.025	0.053	32.1	67.9
2018	0.048	0.009	0.039	18.8	81.3	0.057	0.014	0.043	24.6	75.4	0.077	0.028	0.049	36.4	63.6

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年份	东部		中部		西部
年份	Gini	Theil	Gini	Theil	Gini	Theil
1995	0.155	0.040	0.097	0.015	0.103	0.021
1996	0.173	0.053	0.085	0.012	0.126	0.032
1997	0.190	0.072	0.085	0.012	0.128	0.028
1998	0.212	0.081	0.087	0.013	0.134	0.032
1999	0.231	0.097	0.114	0.023	0.130	0.030
2000	0.244	0.105	0.124	0.027	0.122	0.025
2001	0.245	0.108	0.117	0.023	0.114	0.026
2002	0.248	0.108	0.130	0.028	0.129	0.030
2003	0.265	0.123	0.131	0.028	0.132	0.034
2004	0.262	0.132	0.136	0.032	0.133	0.033
2005	0.239	0.120	0.150	0.037	0.141	0.036
2006	0.220	0.113	0.156	0.039	0.130	0.031
2007	0.214	0.107	0.132	0.029	0.125	0.029
2008	0.195	0.096	0.131	0.028	0.117	0.026
2009	0.220	0.105	0.134	0.029	0.138	0.032
2010	0.234	0.112	0.134	0.029	0.143	0.037
2011	0.229	0.106	0.122	0.027	0.154	0.040
2012	0.223	0.097	0.119	0.024	0.154	0.038
2013	0.225	0.102	0.100	0.016	0.145	0.034
2014	0.213	0.096	0.090	0.013	0.143	0.032
2015	0.187	0.078	0.108	0.018	0.129	0.028
2016	0.188	0.081	0.117	0.021	0.122	0.025
2017	0.187	0.074	0.115	0.021	0.118	0.024
2018	0.189	0.075	0.095	0.014	0.110	0.021

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