Guideline to narrow education gap

BEIJING: China has banned schools and universities in more developed regions from poaching well-known teachers and principals from central and western regions and northeastern areas, in a bid to bridge the education gap between areas, according to a new guideline.
The guideline, issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, aims to build a high-quality and balanced basic public education system by 2027.
Authorities will focus on school facilities, and more policy support will be offered to less-developed areas, the guideline said. All areas should work hard to build a high-quality teaching force and significantly increase the number of outstanding teachers. Teachers need to work at rural schools or weak schools for more than a year in order to apply for senior professional titles and they need to work for more than three years at the schools to be promoted to school principals. School principals and regular teachers need to participate in the rotation program and work in less-developed schools in the same area.
Meanwhile, better education services will be offered to orphans, children without support and care, children who are left behind in rural areas and those in difficult situations. Compulsory education will remain the most important priority in government funding and the government will keep increasing the funding in the sector. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item