A Study On The Problems And Solutions Of Teacher Resource Allocation For Compulsory Education In Rural Areas

The balanced development of compulsory education is one of the long-term tasks and goals of China’s educational reform and development. One of the key points is the rational allocation of teacher resources, particularly focusing on the rural areas. Without the equitable allocation of teacher resources to the rural areas, the educational discrepancy between different regions and between different schools cannot be diminished; neither can the educational development in the regions and countryside achieve a balance. On this basis, it would be even harder to accomplish the equality and improve the quality of education in rural areas.By means of questionnaire, interview and literature review, this thesis focuses on H Town in Guangdong Province, investigates and analyzes the current situation of teacher resource allocation in the compulsory education stage in this town, concludes the existing problems of teacher resource allocation in rural compulsory education and gives elaboration to the causes of these problems. Incorporating the actual educational development status in China, this thesis also comes up with strategies that aim to improve the teacher resource allocation in rural compulsory education. To further narrow the gap of teacher resource allocation in rural middle schools and primary schools which results from the slower social economical development, this thesis puts forward favorable and practical strategies.Standing in the frontline of compulsory education and closely reviewing the developing trend of compulsory education in rural areas, the author integrates her professional experience in both rural and remote schools with the research findings on the equitable allocation of teacher resources in middle schools and primary schools from both Chinese and overseas researchers in order to put forward practical solutions. The teacher resource allocation problems that exist in H Town are expounded mainly from the aspects of:(a) quantity and quality configuration, including teacher qualifications, backbone teachers, subject leaders; (b) structural configuration, which consists of age, gender, and subject-specialized teachers; (c) teacher mobility; and (d) recruitment of relief teachers. The thesis points out the problems that exist in the three aspects:(a) the imbalance of the quantity, quality and structure of teacher allocation; (b) the inconsequence of the recruitment of relief teachers; and (c) the disorder of teacher flow. The causes of these problems are analyzed from the four perspectives:(a) the central and local governments; (b) the local education departments; (c) the rural schools; and (d)the individual teachers.Aiming at the imbalanced allocation of teacher resources in the rural middle schools and primary schools, this thesis combines the actual situation of the rural schools in China and suggests the countermeasures which include:(a) how to strengthen the management of teacher resource allocation; (b) how to improve the welfare and the professional development of teachers; (c) how to regulate teacher recruitment and training systems; and (d) how to boost the equitable flow of teachers. From the perspective of a rural town in Guangdong Province, this thesis takes a close look at the teacher resource allocation problems that exist nationwide in rural areas and wishes to make a contribution to the balanced development of teacher resource allocation in rural areas.