China has a fine tradition of honoring teachers and stressing education, long hailed as the most glorious profession. However, in recent years the social status and healthcare conditions of Chinese teachers have become worrisome issues for many.

While Chinese teachers have experienced remarkable changes in social status and treatment, they are still far from being in an enviable position, said Guan Peijun, Director of the Department of Teacher Training of China's Ministry of Education, ahead of the 22nd annual Teachers' Day.

Treatment of Chinese teachers has undergone a gradual but unbalanced improvement, said Wen Jiabao, Chinese Premier of the State Council, during a discussion with students at Beijing Normal University on September 9, the day before Teachers' Day. In some areas, teachers are poorly paid due to local financial difficulties, because salaries are partly financed by local agencies. Because of this, the Central Government has pledged to follow this situation more closely and provide financial support for those in need.

Officials with the Ministry of Education announced a 10 percent raise in salaries for teachers on September 11, 2007. Over the next few years, China will cement its investment in education, especially putting an emphasis on bettering the living conditions of teachers. A major part of this effort is meant to attract more people to the profession, said Zhou Ji, Minister of Education, at a recent press conference.

Low on the ladder

Wang Aichun is a young teacher at a key high school in the Xicheng District of Beijing. As a class advisor for four years in a row, Wang must reach school by 7 a.m. before her students arrive. Because of this she rises at six in the morning and catches the first bus from her home in the suburbs, often in the dark, cold mornings of winter. Most days Wang isn't able to take a rest, not even a lunch break. The rest of the time she spends tending to students in the classroom. Her duties confine her to school until all the students have left around 7 p.m. Due to traffic congestion, she sometimes doesn't arrive home until 9 p.m.

Wang's husband is also a high school teacher and sometimes comes home even later than she does, faced with the stiff competition of the teaching lifestyle. "Both of us are so tired when we come home that we are reluctant to move," she said. "We just slump into bed after a simple supper and begin a new tense day when we wake up. I have no idea how long this kind of life can last."

Coming from rural areas outside Beijing, the couple has no backing to rely on in the cutthroat competition of the capital. In 2005, they were able to buy a second-hand home with a loan, though this has further strained their lives.

"We both earn ordinary salaries, which can only make ends meet after deducting the housing loans." said Wang, "Though already exhausted, we have to do part-time jobs as private tutors on weekends to save money.

Wang is 30 years old, five years younger than her husband. Other people of their age in China might have long been parents, but they didn't dare to have a child due to financial difficulties. However, last year Wang changed her mind about this.

Work remains the first priority due to pressing social competition. "I would be out of my mind if I became unemployed because of pregnancy," Wang said, trying to reassure herself. Having to wait has become less of an annoyance for her when she thinks about how many other young teachers are dashing around all day just to make a living.

The glories of the teaching profession mainly go to a few teachers at renowned teaching institutions and key high schools. Most teachers in China are not admired at all, Wang said.

Beijing Modern Education and the education channel of sina.com, one of China's most well-known portal websites, jointly conducted an online survey of teachers' living conditions. The survey involved over 4,500 students, parents, teachers, principals and others in the educational system.

Nearly 90 percent of respondents gave a negative answer when evaluating the current social status of teachers. Approximately 52 percent put teachers at an average social rank and 37 percent felt that teachers were declining in status. Only 6 percent responded that the status of teachers was rising.

Similar opinions were held by people in other areas of society outside the education system. Among these respondents, 50 percent considered the status of teachers as average, while 29 percent said their status had gone down, and another 17 percent said their status had risen.

Widening gaps

The survey also found that the income of teachers also differs in regard to geographic location, school and subject. To sum up, most teachers are discontented with their income except for a few schools and cities (key schools and private schools charging high tuition). Some teachers even complained that their income is actually shrinking due to soaring consumer prices.

According to statistics, Chinese teachers in urban high schools can earn 1,500-2,000 yuan per month, and university teachers around 3,000-5,000 yuan. Nevertheless, the monthly salary of rural teachers can be as little as 800-1,000 yuan, newly recruited teachers get 400-500 yuan, and temporarily employed teachers around 300 yuan. This is even less than the pocket money of some children in major cities.