Abstract
Educational inequality is an important factor in the development of human capital, and limits the output of regional economic activities. The unequal distribution of educational resources has become a hot topic noticed by the public, and has restricted sustainable economic growth. This paper provides a better understanding of educational inequality, and explores the impacts of information and communication technology (ICT) and transportation infrastructure on the distribution of educational resources. The panel data models are constructed to discuss the relationship among ICT, transportation infrastructure, and educational inequality, using the data of 31 provinces in China from 2006 to 2016. The empirical results show that there is a positive relationship between ICT and educational inequality, while transportation infrastructure can restrain the unequal distribution of educational resources. Moreover, there is a significant inverted U-shaped relationship between transportation infrastructure and educational inequality. Since China’s education reform in 2010, the relationship among ICT, transportation infrastructure, and educational inequality has been significantly changed, as well as the influence mechanism of ICT. In addition, transportation infrastructure in China western regions can effectively alleviate the problem of educational inequality, and its impact will increase with the growth of transportation investments. It is necessary to consider the rational allocation of educational resources, and this is essential to relieve the problem of educational inequality. Therefore, our results demonstrate the key roles of information technology and transportation network in the field of education, and provide some new ideas for the solution of educational inequality.
Highlights
With the continuous development of the global economy, educational outcomes have become an important factor in promoting regional economic growth
We used the data of 31 provinces in China to explore the impact of Information and communication technology (ICT) and transportation infrastructure on educational inequality
In the descriptive statistical results of control variables, it can be seen that the standard deviations of government intervention and fixed assets investment were higher than other variables, which indicates that the governments of different regions have greater differences in management efficiency and development goals
Summary
With the continuous development of the global economy, educational outcomes have become an important factor in promoting regional economic growth. From the perspective of human capital, the literacy and capability of labor force are mainly promoted by better educational quality, and the unequal distribution of educational resources may lead to regional inequality of labor force literacy and ability. In China’s different regions, the unbalanced distribution of resources leads to the emergence of educational inequality, and hinders industrial transformation [2]. Facing these difficulties, educational inequality has become an important topic of concern to government regulators and researchers, and its solution will be a key factor in promoting sustainable economic growth
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
