More respect for teachers

Several informal teachers in Guizhou province earn just 25 yuan ($4) a month. Such low wages mean that rather than having a job they are doing an act of charity and teaching for "public welfare", says an article in Guangzhou Daily. Excerpts:

If the monthly wage of an informal teacher is only 25 yuan, they will only be able to buy 10 kilograms of rice, or 1 kilogram of pork. Such a wage is not enough to sustain a life. However, such low wages are not restricted to just Guizhou province, they are also found in other less developed areas like Gansu province. And the headmaster of one primary school in Guizhou province only gets 280 yuan per month.

On the one hand, it indicates that the situation in these less developed areas should be changed to attract more talent in future. On the other hand, such devotion or sacrifice for such a low wage is unacceptable. Informal teachers, who are at the bottom of the teaching team, should not teach as charity or just for public welfare. They should enjoy suitable wages for their work.

We need to pay more attention to the education situation in less developed areas. For one thing, we should provide informal teachers with a formal identity to honor their work. For another, they should be paid for what they contribute.

According to the national policy, the government should put 4 percent of GDP into education. If the policy is properly realized there is no reason for such sad stories as a wage of 25 yuan per month. China can revive only if its education gets better. Therefore, we should respect teachers at all levels.

(China Daily 06/14/2012 page9)