Unable to afford schooling for both his children, a widowed father chooses to send his son Shiwa to school while forcing his daughter to toil in the fields at home. Tragedy strikes just after Shiwa comes in first at a national Olympic chemistry competition, and Shiwa must decide between academia and his family. Based on a true story, Going to School with Dad on my Back focuses on the selfless acts a family must endure to ensure the survival of their brightest and the hope of a better future for all of China.