In order to encourage more recent university graduates to work as teachers in the city's suburbs, the Shanghai Education Commission will adopt a series of preferential policies over the next three years, the commission announced Tuesday.

Recent graduates who sign a five-year contract to teach in suburban districts such as Nanhui, Qingpu or Chongming will be given a one-time bonus of 30,000 yuan (US$3,600) or extra pay every month amounting to 30,000 yuan over five years.

Those who aren't citizens of Shanghai will also get a local permanent residence permit immediately after they are employed in the suburbs, officials said.

Teachers in suburban schools will also be given priority when promotions are handed out. For instance, university graduates could apply for the title for a mid-career teacher after only three years. Normally, teachers have to work for five years to earn the title.

"As education plays a key role in the development of rural areas, sending more qualified teachers there is the most important measure to narrow the gap between downtown and suburban areas," said Qu Jun, vice commission director.

Suburban schools are particularly looking for qualified people to teach Chinese, math, English and computer subjects.

Most local university graduates say they still prefer working downtown.

"I won't choose to work there," said Chen Ye, a graduate from East China Normal University in the city.

At a teacher recruitment fair held in the city this March, only about 200 people applied for jobs in Chongming County, about the same number that applied to work in one downtown middle school.

"The unbalanced supply and demand situation always puts suburban schools in a dilemma," said Shen Huijun, vice director of the Shanghai Exchange Service Center for Educational Professionals.

Currently, most teaching positions in the city's rural areas are filled by underqualified migrant teachers, who are paid about 2,000 yuan every month.

Despite that, 1,000 to 2,000 positions are left vacant every year, officials said.

"I would think twice with the new policy." said Wang Yibo, a graduate of Shanghai Teachers University.

Local graduates can apply for these teaching positions at the commission's Website (www.shehr.com.cn) from May 29 to June 2. The commission will hold a teacher recruitment fair at East China Normal University this Saturday, offering more than 1,500 positions in 225 local suburban elementary schools.

(Shanghai Daily May 26, 2004)