42 2 Compulsory Education in a Rich District Tongzhou in Beijing
Tongzhou high enrolment rates have been maintained, drop out, repetition and
over age children in the system have become minimal, and facilities and infra-
structure have improved greatly. In part this is due to the changes in funding and
administrative responsibilities which have been implemented across China. In part
it reflects the achievements of many different stakeholders at local level.
Several old issues remains relevant from the 1990 study and some new ones
have become prominent. First, though enrolment rates are high, these come at a
cost. The pupil teacher ratios are low and have been becoming lower at 10:1 or
less. This is well below what is found in most countries with high enrolments. It
may be affordable since teachers’ salaries remain relatively low in relation to GDP.
But it may reflect inefficiencies that need to be addressed if class sizes are to fall
to increase teacher contact time with students and improve quality, and if teachers’
salaries are to be increased enough to motivate good students to become teachers.
Second, schools have been rationalized as enrolments have fallen and small
schools have been merged with larger schools. This concentration should have
increased efficiency and reduced administrative overheads but this does not seem
to have happened on a significant scale. The non-teaching workforce remains
large.
Third, large scale migration has affected enrolment patterns and introduced
new dynamics into classroom management, pedagogic challenges, and school
financing. The numbers of migrants in Majuqiao are particularly large and in
some areas migrant children are in a majority. It may be time to take more spe-
cial measures to address this reality and the challenges if poses. This may require
more systematic integration of new migrants to ensure they settle into schools suc-
cessfully, with some though given to bridging programmes that may be required
related to language and levels of achievement. The issues around additional costs
to migrant households, especially if they pay similar taxes to residents, and access
to high school, are likely to become more rather than less important as migration
continues.
Fourth, many teachers no longer live close to the schools in which they teach
and commute substantial distances. This has costs and may also have an impact on
school quality. It also reflects issues surrounding working conditions and quality
of life that need addressing if teachers are to be attracted and retained in schools in
Xiji and Majuqiao in competition with rapidly developing districts around Beijing.
The age distribution of teachers is also a cause for concern, since it appears to be
unbalanced with a shortage of experienced middle aged teachers, and increasing
numbers approaching retirement. The reasons for this need to be understood and
addressed.
Fifth, information systems appear to have improved and key data is available on
all schools which generally appear well administered. It is not clear to what extent
data is collected and used to monitor children’s progress diagnostically and this
may be a development that should be considered. It is also unclear to what extent
disability is systematically diagnosed and addressed though special provision or
managed integration into the mainstream.