197below 20:1, class sizes over 40, and the number of teachers per class over 2:1 are
likely to be expensive and relatively inefficient. Too many schools remain like this
in the case study areas.
Teachers in rural and remote schools, and working in areas away from their
home towns may have to be offered incentives to remain motivated and effec-
tive. The current structured salary scheme attempts to do this but may not be suf-
ficient to compensate for the deprivations associated with rural postings. Higher
quality living accommodation, travel subsidies, accelerated promotion, and bonus
payments are all mechanisms that may encourage teachers to work in difficult
environments.
9.2.4 Out of School Children
A small but significant number of children never enrol in Zhaojue. Much larger
numbers enrol but drop out. In all three areas enrolment through to the end of jun-
ior secondary appears not to be universal, though it is much higher in Tongzhou
than elsewhere. There are several steps that need consideration. First, there needs
to be a clear and accurate accounting of out of school children. The number and
location appears not to be known accurately. Second, it should be clear which
agency is responsible for locating and acting to encourage unenrolled children
back into school. Third, the steps that might be taken depend on the diagnosis.
Most certainly the reasons will be different for older and younger children, boys
and girls, those with disability, orphans, and others. Some reasons invite a sup-
ply side response—if school buildings are dark, uninviting, cold and empty of
furniture the problem is on the supply side. If children value paid employment
more than the benefits of schooling the issue is on the demand side. Fourth, most
obviously the solutions to drop out first lie within the school once children are
enrolled. Monitoring and evaluation systems should be sensitive to the likely
precursors of drop out (e.g. irregular attendance, low achievement, repetition of
grades) and should seek to intervene before rather than after the event.
9.2.5 Boarding and Small Schools
National policy on rural education favours increasing the proportion of boarding
schools with the aim of improving quality and concentrating resources. In Ansai
this has resulted in a radical reduction of the number of small schools. In Zhaojue
the existing boarding schools have been upgraded and expanded but the proportion
of boarders has remained about the same as in 1990. The debate about the desir-
ability of boarding has been discussed in the case studies. Key issues include the
costs to the state, as these may be higher since staffing levels have to be greater;
the cost to parents, the effects on younger and older children’s learning and