2018年CRI Teachers should be classified as civil servants: NPC deputy

 

Deputies to the National People's Congress are suggesting that China is facing an uneven¹ distribution of educational resources.

Chinese Minister of Education Chen Baosheng has told the two sessions that the Chinese government is strengthening the construction of its teaching base.

To do this, Chen Baosheng has suggested teachers' incomes and public stature² should be increased with the ultimate goal of returning teaching as a profession to a higher cultural achievement in society.

NPC deputy Xu Huazheng, a Chinese teacher at the Jingzhou Experimental Middle School, is among those working on the frontline of educating the next generation of the country.

"Some teachers, especially those in developed areas are very overwhelmed with work.  It's necessary to give teachers a sense of happiness at work. This includes teachers' social status and income. For example, some years earlier when the salary level was still very low, the educational subsidy³ for each teacher was ten yuan a month.  Now our salaries have been multiplied several times, but the subsidy is still ten yuan. Thus we hope the suggestions we're proposing will be turned into legislation," Xu says. 

NPC deputy Zhou Hongyu is a senior professor at Central China Normal University.

He also serves as the deputy chair of the Chinese Society of Education.

Zhou Hongyu has submitted recommendations for the past two NPC sessions to have teachers classified as civil servants.

"Teachers in China are ranked as professional personnel, as are doctors, lawyers and engineers. But teachers at public schools are also public servants. This identity has not been reflected in the education system. As a result the teachers' incomes are much lower than civil servants. If teachers are defined as special public servants and are managed within the public servant system, there incomes can be raised and protected," Zhou says.

Zhou Hongyu says classifying teachers as civil servants would also draw more people into the profession.

"Since teachers now have low incomes and a blurred⁴ social identity, most high school graduates, especially those elite⁵ students, are reluctant to study education majors at universities. Once teachers become civil servants and have steadier incomes and higher social status, universities which offer education majors will become more attractive and enroll⁶ more elite students," Zhou says.

At the opening session of this year's NPC, Chinese Premier⁷ Li Keqiang has stressed that developing a quality education system is vital to people's livelihood⁸.

Zhou Hongyu says his advice will help mobilize teachers to move to poorer areas as well.

"The Education Ministry⁹ has pushed forward teachers' mobilization. But it's hard, because teachers are employed and managed by schools. Teachers at good schools don't want to leave while those at poorer schools don't want to stay. The uneven distribution of teachers leads to an imbalanced education system. If teachers become classified as civil servants, they are directly managed by the government.  Civil servants' mobilization is obligatory¹⁰; therefore it makes teachers' mobilization more reasonable," Zhou adds.

Chinese authorities have released a new document this year for reforming the education system, which includes the likelyhood of granting teachers special legal rights similar to those of public servants.

1 uneven   

adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的

参考例句：

• The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
• The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

2 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

3 subsidy   

n.补助金，津贴

参考例句：

• The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。
• The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。

4 blurred   

v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离

参考例句：

• She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。
• Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

6 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。

7 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

8 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

10 obligatory   

adj.强制性的，义务的，必须的

参考例句：

• It is obligatory for us to obey the laws.我们必须守法。
• It is obligatory on every citizen to safeguard our great motherland.保卫我们伟大的祖国是每一个公民应尽的义务。