Reforms on teachers' employment system and children's rights to education in China

Abstract

Purpose

By reviewing the related literature on the Jiaoshi Pinren Zhi (JPZ) system, this paper seeks to indicate that the implementation of JPZ not only has led to domestic brain drain and the imbalance of teachers' qualities between different areas and schools, but also has violated children's equal rights to education guaranteed by the Constitution and educational laws in PR China.

Design/methodology/approach

By analysing national policies and laws and some cases, the paper points out that the reforms on teachers' employment causes the imbalance of teachers' qualities between different areas and schools and it is against the principle of children's equal rights to education guaranteed by the Constitution and some educational laws in China.

Findings

Since the late 1980s, many reform initiatives have been launched in the context of the transition from planned economy to market economy in China.

Originality/value

The reforms on the teachers' employment system from “Tongyi Fenpei” (TF, a system of unified placement for all graduates) and the life‐time employment system to JPZ (a free contract employment system) is one of the important reform initiatives.

Citation

Niu, Z. (2009), "Reforms on teachers' employment system and children's rights to education in China", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 23 No. 1, pp. 7-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540910926394