The program for education development in the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-10) published on Wednesday makes the government financially accountable for compulsory nine-year education for all.

 

A lack of funds has always been the problem. To meet the financial needs, the program requires that the State's expenditure for education gradually increase to 4 percent of the total gross domestic product from the 2.82 percent in 2005.

 

Misappropriation of education funds by local governments has aggravated the lack of money. Inadequate funding is evidenced by the many shabby school buildings and poorly paid teachers in underdeveloped regions.

 

The program requirement that education expenditures at all levels be approved by the people's congress at the corresponding level and made public aims to prevent misappropriation.

 

A lack of qualified teachers is another barrier to sound education. By the end of 2005, there were still 448,000 teachers who did not have credentials but were employed by local education departments to teach in primary and middle schools.

 

Under the new program, a nationwide system of qualified teachers will be in place in five years. Strict teaching standards will be established and the process of recruiting teachers will be made public to ensure that qualified teachers are employed.

 

To make teaching attractive, the program sets the goal of raising teachers' salaries at least as high as that of civil servants.

 

If this goal can be realized, the free education of teachers, which has already been initiated in six teacher-training universities directly under the Ministry of Education, will certainly attract a growing number of future teachers.

 

The program paints an encouraging picture for the cause of education. But there are some stumbling blocks to eliminate before this picture becomes a reality.

 

Local governments must be made aware of the importance of education for the overall long-term progress of the country. Effective supervisory mechanisms must be in place to oversee the use of education funds, and those who dare to misappropriate these funds or default on or even embezzle teachers' salaries should be punished.

 

(China Daily May 25, 2007)