New guidelines boost China’s teachers, including right to discipline students
Rules issued this week by the leadership in Beijing aim to raise teaching standards as well as the status of the profession
The guidelines, released on Monday by the ruling party’s Central Committee and the State Council, China’s cabinet, focus on increasing teachers’ competence, protecting their rights and supporting them to “actively discipline students”.
The new rules also stipulate zero tolerance for teachers who commit malpractice and other violations, with strict enforcement of discipline and legal consequences for offenders.
At the same time, teachers should be protected from being humiliated or defamed, according to the guidelines, which also called for a lift in their social status by encouraging public respect and support.
The guidelines acknowledged that the knowledge and teaching skills of educators should be enhanced, and that the government should provide more training for rural teachers.
Salaries should be paid on time and any unnecessary additions to teachers’ workloads should be reduced, said the guidelines, which come as China tries to cultivate an innovation-driven economy amid its competition with the US.