Teaching Becomes More Attractive in ChinaTeachers, like accountants and lawyers, will not only be highly respected, but will enjoy a better living as well, according to an education source in Jinan, this capital of east China's Shandong Province.Though teachers have always been respected in China, not everyone wants to be a teacher, and few students chose teachers' universities when they finish secondary school. This has led to a shortage of teachers for the time being. The Ministry of Education (MOE) decided last year to establish a teaching qualifications certifying system across China, in a bid to improve the overall competency of Chinese teachers and attract talented people into the teaching profession. Under the certifying system, only teaching license holders can become teachers, and the licenses are conferred only to competent professionals who pass a series of examinations. This new pressure on Chinese teachers will help them improve their professional level and sense of responsibility, said an MOE official, noting that there is still a certain number of substandard teachers in China, especially in remote rural areas, who need further education to qualify for the job. On the other hand, the official said more Chinese youngsters will choose to be teachers as the certifying system will raise the social status of teachers and help improve their income level. |
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