Guideline to narrow education gap

Ministry bans schools from poaching teachers from less-developed regions

China has banned schools and universities in more developed regions from poaching well-known teachers and principals from central and western regions and northeastern areas, in a bid to bridge the education gap between areas, according to a new guideline.

The guideline, issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, aims to build a high-quality and balanced basic public education system by 2027.

Authorities will focus on school facilities, and more policy support will be offered to less-developed areas, the guideline said. All areas should work hard to build a high-quality teaching force and significantly increase the number of outstanding teachers.

Teachers need to work at rural schools or weak schools for more than a year in order to apply for senior professional titles and they need to work for more than three years at the schools to be promoted to school principals.

School principals and regular teachers need to participate in the rotation program and work in less-developed schools in the same area.

Meanwhile, better education services will be offered to orphans, children without support and care, children who are left behind in rural areas and those in difficult situations.

Compulsory education will remain the most important priority in government funding and the government will keep increasing the funding in the sector.

Student financial aid will be adjusted according to price level and living costs to make sure students with financial difficulties can complete schooling, the guideline added.

The report of the 20th CPC National Congress stressed the need to advance education equality, accelerate the high-quality and balanced development of compulsory education, and optimize education resources allocation among different areas.

Education minister Huai Jinpeng said vitalizing higher education in central and western China is an important way to end the generational passing-on of poverty and lay the foundation for the development of the regions.

He stressed the need to prioritize educational development in the regions, optimize resource allocation, improve school facilities, use digital technology to promote education equality, and strengthen education cooperation and communication among eastern areas with central and western areas.

In an interview with China Central Television on Monday, Yan Chunhua, president of Lanzhou University, said that in the past the university had lost some talent.

"Only after we found a way to make sure our students receive better education and our teachers can have a more decent living standard and better respect, can we attract talent from the country and even around the world," he said.

For the time being, the university's "talent drain" has been basically stopped, Yan said.

Money is very important for a university to develop, but it also needs to be innovative and face difficulties head-on, he said.