Lighting the torch of teaching: paving China's way to strong education

As China celebrated Teachers' Day this year, the southern province of Guangdong launched an ambitious initiative aimed at elevating the skills of rural teachers across the region.

The program, which will select 100 rural teachers each year for training and provide 10 million yuan ($1.41 million) in funding annually for the next five years, has been met with widespread praise from educators and is seen as a crucial step towards achieving China's 2035 goal of becoming a global leader in education.

This initiative comes at a critical time as China intensifies its efforts to build a high-quality teaching workforce, particularly in rural areas, where educational resources are often limited. 

Rural teachers play a vital role in reducing the educational gap between urban and rural areas. With the new funding, they will gain access to advanced training, new teaching methodologies and opportunities for professional development, which will not only support individual teachers but also strengthen the educational infrastructure in less-developed areas.

At a national meeting on education held in Beijing from Monday to Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted the need to improve training for teachers and build a high-level teaching force for the new era. He called for better protection of teachers' rights, ensuring that they are respected and their professional dignity upheld.

In recent years, China has made significant strides in supporting the professional development of teachers, with policies targeting both new and veteran educators. For instance, a program has been launched to offer tuition-free education to students in exchange for a commitment to teach in underserved areas. Another initiative aims to deploy experienced teachers to rural and remote regions, ensuring that students in these areas receive quality instruction.

One of the standout projects in rural education is one that provides leadership roles for exceptional rural teachers, allowing them to mentor less-experienced colleagues and elevate the overall quality of teaching in their communities. Educators say these efforts not only enrich the teaching environment but also contribute to the creation of a more balanced and equitable education system nationwide.

Last month, a joint directive from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council emphasized the protection of teachers' legal rights and reinforced the government's commitment to supporting teachers' authority in the classroom. 

The directive notably expressed support for educators to exercise disciplinary measures to maintain classroom order and foster a productive learning environment. This move is seen as aligning with the broader goal of improving the professionalism and capacity of teachers to educate and nurture the next generation effectively.

These comprehensive efforts reflect the Chinese government's broader push to elevate the teaching profession and cultivate an atmosphere of respect for educators. By investing in both the rights and development of teachers, especially in rural regions, China is laying the groundwork for an educational system that can meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.