Understanding Teacher Supply, Challenges, Trends and Implications: A case Study of China

This paper examines teacher supply in China as part of a broader international study on teacher supply and retention. The key challenge in managing teacher supply in China is not a national “shortage” of teachers, but disparities in teacher distribution and quality. Rural areas struggle to attract and retain qualified teachers. This paper examines geographical disparities in teacher supply and the role of politics, culture and funding structures. Political and demographic factors, including universal education reforms and the one-child policy have influenced pupil and teacher numbers. As long as schools are able to meet the mandated class size requirements, large class sizes are not regarded as a shortage. How schools are funded can contribute to regional and provincial disparities in class sizes. At the primary and middle school, class sizes do not differ very much between rural and urban areas as schools are funded by local and central governments. Secondary schools in less developed provinces, on the other hand, experience larger class sizes, as they rely solely on local government funding. Despite some dissatisfaction with teachers’ pay, teaching remains a sought-after profession. This can be attributed to the influence of Confucian values which emphasise respect for teachers and the importance of knowledge. The culture of respect for teachers and emphasis on discipline may also explain why large classes are tolerated. This case study highlights the importance of prestige and status of teaching in addressing teacher shortages. It also reminds us that the concept of “teacher shortages” is open to interpretation.