UNESCO - 8th Policy Dialogue Forum of the Teacher Task Force for Education 2030

1. Peng Liping
International Center for Teacher Education
East China Normal University
Empowering Teachers in
Rural Areas in China

2. World Declaration on Education For AllWorld Declaration on Education For All
（（ 19901990 ）：）：
Basic learning needs …Basic learning needs …
to be able to survive,to be able to survive,
to develop their full capacities,to develop their full capacities,
to live and work in dignity,to live and work in dignity,
to participate fully in development,to participate fully in development,
to improve the quality of their lives,to improve the quality of their lives,
to make informed decisions, andto make informed decisions, and
to continue the learning.to continue the learning.
(World Declaration on Education For All, 1990)

3. I. The Concept of Rural Education;Education;
II. The Importance of Rural Education;II. The Importance of Rural Education;
III. The Importance of Good Teachers;III. The Importance of Good Teachers;
IV. How to Finance Teachers in Rural AreasIV. How to Finance Teachers in Rural Areas
in China to Ensure Quality;in China to Ensure Quality;
V. Challenges;V. Challenges;
IV. Further Work.IV. Further Work.
Contents

4. Today, three out of every four poor people inToday, three out of every four poor people in
developing countries live in rural areas, anddeveloping countries live in rural areas, and
most of them depend directly or indirectly onmost of them depend directly or indirectly on
agriculture for their livelihoods.agriculture for their livelihoods.
(World Development Report 2008)
Current situation in rural areas of China---Current situation in rural areas of China---
in terms of population, geographicalin terms of population, geographical
location, and standard of living.location, and standard of living.
The Chinese national population censusThe Chinese national population census
inin 20152015 totalstotals 1.36782 billion1.36782 billion amongamong
whom there arewhom there are 45.23%45.23% rural populationrural population
in Chinain China..

5. The concept of rural education?The concept of rural education?
Rural educationRural education refers to:refers to:
ii)) educational institutionseducational institutions that are locatedthat are located
inin rural areasrural areas andand serve rural peopleserve rural people,,
iiii) generally, including) generally, including rural basic educationrural basic education,,
vocational educationvocational education,, adult educationadult education, etc,, etc,
iiiiii) and different education in urban areas to) and different education in urban areas to
serve to and contribute for rural people andserve to and contribute for rural people and
rural development.rural development.

6. i)i) Rural education isRural education is one of the prerequisitesone of the prerequisites forfor ruralrural
economic developmenteconomic development and on the other hand, continuingand on the other hand, continuing
rural economic development will push forward furtherrural economic development will push forward further
development of rural education.development of rural education.
ii)ii) TheThe rural populationrural population is amongis among the world’s majority ofthe world’s majority of
illiterate, unhealthy, malnourished, marginalized, andilliterate, unhealthy, malnourished, marginalized, and
oppressed populationoppressed population..
iii)iii) Rural educationRural education constitutes the key inconstitutes the key in reachingreaching thethe
targets of EFA,targets of EFA, ““ensuringensuring equal accessequal access toto qualityquality educationeducation
for the vulnerablefor the vulnerable”” andand “narrowing the education gap”.“narrowing the education gap”.
““World Declaration on Education for All”World Declaration on Education for All”
““The Dakar Framework for Action”The Dakar Framework for Action”
The importance of rural
education

7. “The quality of an education system
cannot exceed the quality of
its teachers”
------McKinsey & Co, 2007
Key to Success?
“What is the most important school-
related factor in student learning?
The answer is teaching”
Bob Schwartz, Harvard GSE, 2010
The importance of good
teachers

8. “Life isn’t fair, but good
teaching and good schools
are the best means we
have of overcoming
disadvantage and opening
the doors of opportunity for
young people”
Stephen Dinham,
Melbourne University 2012
Keys to success?

9. I)I)“Specially contracted teachers”“Specially contracted teachers” plan forplan for
compulsory education in rural areas in China.compulsory education in rural areas in China.
a) Goalsa) Goals ：： to alleviateto alleviate shortageshortage of andof and imbalance ofimbalance of
compositioncomposition of teachers thereof teachers there ；； toto improveimprove quality.quality.
b) Contentsb) Contents ：： college graduates with teaching abilitycollege graduates with teaching ability
to teach there forto teach there for 33 yearsyears ；； theirtheir salariessalaries shall beshall be
provided byprovided by the Central Governmentthe Central Government withwith houseshouses usedused
in turn andin turn and other life conditionsother life conditions assured by localassured by local
governments. Those who continue to stay after 3governments. Those who continue to stay after 3
years, their salaries shall be coveredyears, their salaries shall be covered by localby local
How to finance teachers in rural
areas in China to ensure quality?

10. I)I) “Specially contracted teachers”“Specially contracted teachers” plan forplan for
compulsory education in rural areas in China.compulsory education in rural areas in China.
c) Scope:c) Scope: provinces in Central and Western Chinaprovinces in Central and Western China..
d) Achievements (d) Achievements (2006-20152006-2015):):
i) Fiscal investmentsi) Fiscal investments: RMB: RMB29.4429.44 billion;billion;
ii)Teachers recruitedii)Teachers recruited:: 495,000.00495,000.00 among overamong over 3000030000
rural schools in over 1000 counties ofrural schools in over 1000 counties of 2222 provinces inprovinces in
Central and Western ChinaCentral and Western China 88%88% ((262,000262,000) of) of
the teachers continue to stay in rural areas.the teachers continue to stay in rural areas.
How to finance teachers in rural areas
in China to ensure quality education?

11. II)II)“Providing living allowances to teachers”“Providing living allowances to teachers” forfor
compulsory education in poorest rural areas in China.compulsory education in poorest rural areas in China.
a) Goalsa) Goals ：： toto improveimprove living standard of teachers inliving standard of teachers in
poorest rural areaspoorest rural areas ；； toto attractattract more teachers willingmore teachers willing
to teach there.to teach there.
b) Scope and target teachersb) Scope and target teachers ：： school teachersschool teachers in thein the
poorest rural areas amongpoorest rural areas among 699699 townships of pooresttownships of poorest
counties incounties in 2222 province in China.province in China.
c) Investmentsc) Investments ((2013-20152013-2015):): RMB4.39 billionRMB4.39 billion fromfrom
Central governmentCentral government + RMB5.1 billion+ RMB5.1 billion from provinces.from provinces.
How to finance teachers in rural
areas in China to ensure quality?

12. II)II)“Providing living allowances to teachers”“Providing living allowances to teachers” forfor
compulsory education in poorest rural areas in China.compulsory education in poorest rural areas in China.
d) Achievementsd) Achievements ((2013-20152013-2015)) ：： 573573 counties out ofcounties out of
699699 total amounttotal amount (82%) with 1.044(82%) with 1.044 million teachersmillion teachers
((92%92%) from) from 71,00071,000 school have enjoyed the benefits.school have enjoyed the benefits.
e) Principal policye) Principal policy: “implemented independently by: “implemented independently by
local areas with comprehensive awards from centrallocal areas with comprehensive awards from central
government”.government”.
The poorest, the highest.The poorest, the highest.
How to finance teachers in rural
areas in China to ensure quality?

13. III) ImIII) Implementingplementing the “national in-service teacherthe “national in-service teacher
training”training” plan (professional development)plan (professional development) to improveto improve
the qualitythe quality of rural teachers in Chinaof rural teachers in China..
a) Basic requirements of traininga) Basic requirements of training ：： no less thanno less than 360360
hours of in-service training annually for each schoolhours of in-service training annually for each school
teacher in each period of 5 years of service. Theteacher in each period of 5 years of service. The
“national in-service teacher training” plan began in“national in-service teacher training” plan began in
2010.2010.
b)b) ObjectivesObjectives: to improve the quality of teachers with a: to improve the quality of teachers with a
focus on rural areas.focus on rural areas. Quality teacher assuranceQuality teacher assurance..
How to finance teachers in rural
areas in China to ensure quality?

14. III) ImIII) Implementingplementing the “national in-service teacherthe “national in-service teacher
training”training” plan (professional development)plan (professional development) to improveto improve
the qualitythe quality of rural teachers in Chinaof rural teachers in China..
c) Contentsc) Contents ：： i) model training programi) model training program (school(school
training and on-line distance training) for schooltraining and on-line distance training) for school
teachers to support---teachers to support--- ii) training of core teachers ofii) training of core teachers of
rural areasrural areas in central and western China to bein central and western China to be
implemented by provinces with guidance and financialimplemented by provinces with guidance and financial
support from central governmentsupport from central government..
d) Fiscal investments and achievements: RMB6.4 billiond) Fiscal investments and achievements: RMB6.4 billion
from central governmentfrom central government (2010-2014)(2010-2014) withwith 7 million7 million
teachers get trainedteachers get trained, 96.4%, 96.4% from rural areasfrom rural areas..
How to finance teachers in rural
areas in China to ensure quality?

15. I) Further implementI) Further implement of the salary of teachers toof the salary of teachers to assureassure
thatthat teachers are willing to teach and stay thereteachers are willing to teach and stay there..
II) Further improvementII) Further improvement of the quality of the teachersof the quality of the teachers
as a wholeas a whole to faceto face the challenge of increasingthe challenge of increasing
requirements for quality educationrequirements for quality education..
III) Further optimizationIII) Further optimization of allocation of teachersof allocation of teachers toto
avoidavoid imbalance of regions, schools, and subjects.imbalance of regions, schools, and subjects.
deployment model training program.deployment model training program.
IV) Further improvementIV) Further improvement of the management system ofof the management system of
teacher to assure appropriate funding for training.teacher to assure appropriate funding for training.
Challenges

16. Supportive plan for teachers in rural areas of ChinaSupportive plan for teachers in rural areas of China
was announced by Chinese government in 2015 to solvewas announced by Chinese government in 2015 to solve
thethe shortage of teachersshortage of teachers,, insufficiency of salaryinsufficiency of salary, and, and
improveimprove teaching ability, which includes:teaching ability, which includes:
i) extending channels of replenishment of teachers:i) extending channels of replenishment of teachers: toto
increase specially contracted teachers, increaseincrease specially contracted teachers, increase
salaries, additional supplements to college graduates tosalaries, additional supplements to college graduates to
teach in rural areas, etc.teach in rural areas, etc.
ii) Increasing benefits of teachers in rural areas.ii) Increasing benefits of teachers in rural areas.
iii) comprehensive improvementiii) comprehensive improvement of the quality ofof the quality of
teachers in rural areas: ICT in education, degreeteachers in rural areas: ICT in education, degree
programs, principals training programs, etc.programs, principals training programs, etc.
Further Work

17. Thank you!
Mar. 6, 2016
Thank you !