From Chinese Press

Knowledge doesn't mean money

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-25 08:00

The gap between migrant workers' pay and the starting salaries of college graduates is narrowing. Though graduates' salaries will increase considerably with time, some people say the narrow gap in their income compared to migrant workers' may have negative effects, says an article on www.xinhuanet.com. Excerpts:

Figures from 2003, 2005 and 2008 show that the average starting salary of college graduates was about 1,500 yuan ($225.8) a month and migrant workers' monthly pay increased from 700 yuan to 1,200 yuan. Some people say this may dissuade youths from going in for higher education.

Fresh graduates' salary is not high, but it is not low either considering today's job market. The reason why graduates find it more difficult than migrant workers to find jobs is that they have higher expectations because of their professional knowledge.

The difference of 300 yuan between the salaries of migrant workers and fresh graduates is not the central point. People who complain about it should realize that a migrant worker's life is linear and painstaking with little or no chance of earning more, whereas a graduate has all the chances in the world to grow both in stature and money.

It's true that knowledge can change a person's fate. But those who believe in the saying should know that knowledge is a tool that creates chances for people to climb up the economic and social ladder, not a machine to mint money instantly.

History shows that knowledge did not make the sages wealthy. Even Confucius had to be sponsored by his students to travel around the country. Today, people expect knowledge to bring material gains only. But knowledge is not only about money, even though it has the power to change the fate of individuals as well as society.