'I wish I could sit for my exams here'

Ding Xuan was bewildered when her head teacher asked her last summer to give up her Best Student Award in favor of one of her classmates.

"It took me a while to understand what the teacher was saying," said the 15-year-old, who does not have a Beijing permanent residence permit although she's lived in the city from the age of six.

"I was told to give up the award because a migrant student with a Best Student Award would not give the school a bonus in the high school entrance exam.