In consequence to increasing concerns about overburdening professional pedagogical staff, The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China has announced a comprehensive improvement package aimed at importantly reducing the burden on primary and secondary school teachers with tasks outside their main teaching activities. The fresh guidelines, published on 10 November 2025, constitute 1 of the most detailed and systematic papers in the past of Chinese education policy on the protection of the work of educators.
This initiative is strategical in nature and is part of a broader government programme to combat bureaucracy and formalism in public institutions. Its aim is to give teachers the chance to focus on what is at the core of their profession – teaching, educating students and professional development.
A systematic approach to burden reduction: 8 key directions for action
The fresh strategy of the Ministry of Education is based on 8 circumstantial areas of intervention, which cover both administrative and organisational aspects of the functioning of educational institutions. Each of these directions was designed to destruct the sources of overburdening work that have accumulated in the education strategy over the years.
Control over the flow of authoritative documents
One of the main problems was the uncontrolled number of regulations, messages and instructions reaching schools from different levels of administration. In order to remedy this, a mechanics for assessing the compliance of each fresh paper with the rule of reducing the burden on teachers has been introduced. From now on, any letter issued by the Ministry or provincial authorities will be examined as to whether it imposes additional tasks outside the scope of teaching duties. In particular, it is prohibited to force participation in inspections, competitions, "one decision – 1 rejection" or disciplinary procedures.
List of permitted inspections and assessments – no more excess checks
Until now, schools have been exposed to numerous, frequently repeated inspections from different instances. The fresh rules introduce a strategy of yearly inspection lists which must be approved at central level. Only those actions which will be included in this list can be carried out. Importantly, each school may be subject to only 1 general inspection per year at region or higher level. The exception is method assessments, specified as the quality of teaching materials which are not subject to this limitation.
In addition, actions disguised under the pretext of ‘assessment’, ‘monitoring’ or ‘consultation’ are prohibited, which are de facto a form of control. Assessments must not be based on the number of documents, photographs or records – this ends the practice of paper tracking.
White list of social activities in schools
In order to reduce the influx of external initiatives into schools – from wellness campaigns to promotional events – a "white list" strategy was introduced. Each state may have a maximum of 10 approved activities per year which are regularly updated and published to the public. No another activity can enter the school without peculiar approval from the local organization Committee on Education.
More importantly, even if activity is on the list, it cannot be implemented more than six times a semester. If the subject is already part of the curriculum, it cannot be re-implemented as a separate initiative. The requirements of “check-ins”, photograph reports or films are besides prohibited. Participation in these activities shall not affect the assessment of teachers or their promotions.
Limiting the hiring of teachers to extracurricular tasks
The practice of "loaning" teachers to work in offices, plan teams or campaigns was considered 1 of the top abuses. From now on, higher level authorities cannot lend teachers without the approval of the education authorities and the notification to the higher instance. The debt period may not exceed six months and, in exceptional cases, six months of extension.
The provinces are required to review systematically all current debt cases and to retreat rapidly those that are not justified. This is to prevent situations where teachers spent months outside schools, serving as office functions.
Reduction of paper discipline and digital bureaucracy
Teachers will have little office work through the integration of data systems. The Central teacher Management strategy is intended to let one-time introduction of information that will be available to different institutions. In addition, mobile applications utilized in schools will be reviewed annually – only those approved by provincial authorities can be used.
It is forbidden to have functions that force login, activity ranking or online time measurement. You can besides not require images, videos or location tracking. All surveys and studies must be approved earlier and their implementation cannot be carried out straight among students and teachers without need.
Guarantees for extracurricular work
Extracurricular services that have become standard in Chinese schools will now be better regulated. Their duration must be synchronized with the hours of termination of their parents' work. Flexible working hours for teachers participating in these programmes have been introduced.
It is crucial that remuneration for extracurricular work must be decently paid. Participation in them may not be a condition for professional promotion or participation in competitions for prizes. Schools may affect outside companies, but only after prior checking and entering them in the supplier register.
Monitoring and monitoring the effectiveness of the reform
To guarantee real implementation of the changes, the Ministry of Education has launched a monitoring strategy for teacher burdens. reflection points will be created across the country and not only officials will be active in supervision, but besides independent institutions and media. telephone lines, email boxes and QR codes will be available for anonymous reporting of violations.
Each notification will be immediately analysed and systematic infringements will consequence in warnings, calls for clarifications and, in utmost situations, sanctions against liable individuals. Situations leading to negative public opinion will be subject to strict responsibility.
Interministerial coordination and the fight against myopia
The improvement will not work in isolation. The Ministry of Education has undertaken to cooperate with organization Committees, HR services, police and online services to combat excessive burdens. Those liable for creating ‘showy projects’ aimed at improving the ranking will be identified and punished.
Cooperation with the prosecution and supervisory authorities is intended to guarantee transparency and effectiveness. Media will be encouraged to advance respect for teachers, not to criticize them for the shortcomings resulting from systemic pressure.
A way to respect the profession of teacher
New measures are not only method changes in administration, but besides a groundbreaking effort to change the governance culture in the education sector. For many years teachers were treated as a labour force available for all public tasks – from guarding rivers to organizing festivals. Now the Chinese government clearly states that it is time for a change.
The aim is not to limit the work of teachers, but to defend their time and energy for the most crucial things: students. improvement can become a model for another countries fighting the bureaucracy of the education system.
Source:
- People’s regular Online Portal – https://www.peopleapp.com/column/30050720502-507194321
- Official website of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China – http://www.moo.gov.cn
- Xinhua News Agency – https://www.xinhuanet.com
Leszek B. Glass
Email: [email protected]
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