2015年CRI More Efforts Urged to Help Teachers

 

Scholar Liu Chengyun says early-childhood education is something that is on-the-radar here in China.

"Primary and secondary education is getting more attention in the country, as more and more people realize it is the base of overall education quality. Cultivating talent depends not only on universities, but also primary and secondary schools."

However, surveys among primary and secondary school teachers suggest this understanding has not necessarily translated into results.

A survey conducted by the 21st Century Education Research Institute, an educational think-tank here in China, has found most teachers in the primary and secondary school system say they believe low salaries and a broken evaluation¹ system are still holding back development.

Xiong Bingqi with the 21st Century Education Research Institute says rural teachers are the worst off.

"Some local governments only think about how to improve school facilities, while paying much less-than-expected attention to teachers' salaries, their work evaluation and their future development."

Of the roughly 13 million Chinese primary and secondary school teachers in China, more than 3 million are working in rural areas.

Professional evaluations² are one of the few ways for them to advance or get more money.

But Xiong Bingqi says the current evaluation system puts teachers in the countryside at a disadvantage.

"The system only favors urban teachers and those who have strong ties with the authorities. And because academic papers play a key role in assessing teachers' work, rural teachers often find it difficult to achieve high scores, as their topic range is limited due to their lack of contact with urban areas."

Professor Xiong Bingqi says its time for education authorities to address the issue before it becomes too late.

"The latest survey shows more than 80 percent of teachers in Chinese primary and secondary schools are under pressure at work, mostly because of the evaluation process. Some have resorted to cheating on the process to obtain higher scores. We've also noted³ decline in passion and even loyalty⁴ to the job among teachers. Authorities should understand how important it is to solve problems for teachers and protect their rights."

Ahead of Teachers Day, Chinese President Xi Jinping wrote a reply letter to teachers in southwest province of Guizhou.

He spoke⁵ highly of the contribution made by those teaching in remote rural areas.

Premier⁶ Li Keqiang is also promising⁷ more help for rural teachers, and at the same time, is warning local officials not to cut back on education spending.

Changes to the professional evaluation system for primary and secondary school teachers are also being made.

It's expected the changes could allow a primary school teacher with a high professional ranking to earn as much as a college professor.

For CRI, I'm Qi Zhi.

1 evaluation   

n.估价，评价；赋值

参考例句：

• I attempted an honest evaluation of my own life.我试图如实地评价我自己的一生。
• The new scheme is still under evaluation.新方案还在评估阶段。

2 evaluations   

估价( evaluation的名词复数 )； 赋值； 估计价值； [医学]诊断

参考例句：

• In fact, our moral evaluations are merely expressions of our desires. 事实上，我们的道德评价只是我们欲望的表达形式。 来自哲学部分
• Properly speaking, however, these evaluations and insights are not within the concept of official notice. 但准确地讲，这些评估和深远见识并未包括在官方通知概念里。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 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。

7 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。