Possible solutions to rural teachers shortage
- By Ember Swift
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E-mail China.org.cn, October 29, 2015
The problem with this program, however, is that the government is masking its real intent, which is to encourage these graduates to remain in the countryside. Effectively, they don't want them to come back and fight for these rare jobs, which is exactly what their incentive program directly encourages. If they stay in the city applying for jobs, they'll remain low on the priority list; if they take a temporary post in the countryside, they'll return with their name at the top of that list. The choice is clear.
Many take the voluntary teaching positions, but they return to the urban centers far too quickly, sometimes as early as six months later. Thus, the real problem - that rural schools are lacking teachers - is not being addressed.
Some may argue that this is actually harmful to rural schools. While they may obtain a highly-skilled and freshly educated teacher, it's only for a short time. Thus, they can't maintain a consistent educational environment. What's more, such staffing fluxes wreak havoc not just on the school's administration, but also on the students.
If the government were to instill financial rewards for rural teachers such as guaranteeing higher pension rewards to rural teachers over their urban counterparts, for instance, urban graduates may be more easily lured to the countryside to help these communities educate their young ones. If they know their family will financially benefit from their choices in the future, they may also be persuaded to stay.
Another possible solution is making graduation from a university education program impossible without six months of practical work experience in the countryside. While this doesn't solve the problem of inconsistencies and instability in rural schools, it provides the rural schools with a constant flow of available teachers - 650,000 to be exact - which temporarily solves the teacher shortage issue.
For anyone who has seen the touching Zhang Yimou film, "The Road Home," there is also the enormous chance that these young students doing their required six months of teaching placement will not only find a love for the countryside, but also will find a love in the countryside. Thus, they may decide to remain and build their lives there. While this kind of incentive is not one the government can directly create, it is exactly the kind of scenario such a forced education component could indirectly foster.
The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.keyanhelp.cn/opinion/emberswift.htm
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
