Teacher Salaries and the Shortage of High-Quality Teachers in China’s Rural Primary and Secondary Schools

Abstract

Teacher salary level and structure are not only important factors affecting the supply of primary and secondary school teachers, but they are also crucial to attracting, training, and retaining high-quality teachers, thereby impacting the overall quality of education and teaching in schools. The reform of China’s basic education management system has ensured the fiscal security and steady increase of rural primary and secondary school teacher salaries and has effectively improved the supply and quality of rural teachers. The objective gap between urban and rural teacher salaries and benefits has, however, led to the one-way mobility of rural teachers, resulting in the loss of quality teachers and giving rise to a structural shortage in rural schools. To improve the supply and quality of teachers in rural areas, it is necessary to effectively and systemically increase rural teachers’ basic salaries and subsidies according to the law. There is the necessity through various channels to raise primary and secondary school teachers’ salaries and benefits, especially subsidy and allowance standards, to eliminate actual variances in teacher salaries.