I am a foreigner residing in Beijing. When I was walking on the street recently I saw the trucks bringing desks and chairs to the exhibition center for the book fair. It reminded me of the dilemma of migrant children schools frequently reported these days. With the schools for migrant children torn down and no plan in sight to find new schools, I wonder why the government does not make use of underutilized hotels or office buildings.

Hotels should be able to have the facilities in rooms that would allow each "classroom" to have a bathroom and most would have some sort of cooking facilities to supply meals.

Office buildings or shopping malls with empty space could be made available and the large workforce in the city could be quickly made to conform.

It is up to the government to step up and help its most needy.

Howard Mirkin, via e-mail

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(China Daily 09/05/2011 page9)