IMNU recruits graduates to teaching with free tuition

By Zhao Xiao (chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2017-02-27

Inner Mongolia Normal University (IMNU) will this year offer tuition-free education to students enrolling as freshmen who intend to go into the teaching profession in rural areas, according to the Education Department of Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Feb 24.

The university plans to enroll 386 students from the National College Entrance Examination into 17 qualifying majors including Chinese language and literature, Mongolian language and literature, mathematics and applied mathematics, English, ideological and political education, history, geoscience, bioscience, physics, chemistry, music, physical education, fine arts, dance, computer science and technology, psychology, and elementary education.

College students recruited for these majors will receive practical teacher training and then be sent to rural schools in five places, including Hulunbuir, Hinggan League, Ulanqab, Ordos and Bayannur.

The project will implement a policy that gives free tuition to students when they work for affiliated local education departments following graduation.

The project aims to encourage outstanding college students to devote themselves to improving rural education and create a high-quality learning environment for children living in rural areas.

In May 2007, China’s State Council announced a policy to implement free-tuition fees for teaching-majored graduates who voluntarily choose to teach in rural towns or villages at six normal universities attached to the Ministry of Education, including Beijing Normal University, East China Normal University, Northeast Normal University, Central China Normal University, Shaanxi Normal University, and Southwest University.

In the fall of 2013, Jiangxi Normal University was enlisted in the project. Later in 2015, the Fujian government enacted the policy at Fujian Normal University, but chose to only enroll male students registered in Fujian province.

Campus of Inner Mongolia Normal University in Hohhot. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]