109teaching group size and inefficient timetabling. Schools with pupil teacher ratios
of 10:1 should consider multigrade strategies as a way of increasing efficient use
of teachers.
5.6.3 The Proportion of Teaching Staff and Non-teaching
Staff
The proportion of teaching staff relative to non-teaching staff has decreased
in Tongxian. In 1990 the total number of staff was 3677 of which teaching staff
accounted for 87 %. By 2008 the proportion of teaching staff had fallen to 77 %.
Different kinds of schools are in different situations. Central primary school often
have more non-teaching staff. In Xiji central school in Tongzhou 35 % of staff were
on administrative grades and in Xiji secondary school the ratio was as high as 37 %.
Some of these administrators may have been teachers before and have been rede-
ployed as enrolments have fallen. In contrast in Ansai in the secondary school sys-
tem 93 % of staff were teaching staff in 1990 and this has now fallen to about 82 %.
5.6.4 Match Between Teaching Subject and Education
Background
Another aspect of teacher deployment relates to the match between subject teach-
ing specialization and teacher workloads. According to the principal of Xiji
secondary school, Mr. Wang, there is a problem in teachers’ deployment. The edu-
cational qualification of teachers has reached the required standard but the subject
taught does not match teachers’ training specialty, especially in the main subjects
like Chinese, Math, English, Physics and Chemistry. In term of main subjects,
under 40 % of the teachers teach the subjects which match their specialty. There
are only 2 teachers who graduated from English majors. Present English teach-
ers are all pursing second level qualifications major by themselves. There are 10
teachers graduated from PE major, but only 2 of them teach this subject, the oth-
ers are teaching other subjects. Because of lack of forefront main subject teacher,
teachers are encouraged to engage in second major training. The match is better in
Ansai. All the teaching staff at secondary level teach the subjects of their major.
There are professional teachers teaching Music, PE, Geography, Art and so on.
5.6.5 Teacher’s Professional Development
Teachers in the case study areas want to increase their income as well as have
more opportunity for in-service training. They want to master the latest teaching
5.6 Efficiency and Use of Human Resources