BRIDGING THE GAP: NAVIGATING TRAINING STRATEGIES TO EMPOWER RURAL EDUCATION FOR TARGETED NORMAL SCHOOL STUDENTS"

Abstract

Rural education stands as the bedrock of national education and a linchpin for achieving high-quality, balanced development in line with China's strategic goals. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China underscored the need to accelerate the integration of rural and urban education and optimize resource allocation to realize the nation's second centennial goal. In this context, the vital role of rural teachers in revitalizing rural education cannot be overstated. Guangdong Province, in a pioneering move, launched a publicly funded targeted training program for primary and secondary school teachers in its eastern, western, and northern regions since 2018, referred to as "targeted normal school students." This innovative initiative aims to cultivate highly qualified educators in subject areas with shortages, specifically catering to rural kindergartens, special education schools, and compulsory education institutions. Notably, it marks Guangdong as the first province in China to provide government-funded training for education master's degree students. By 2022, the program had successfully enrolled 12,600 participants, receiving annual funding of 20,000 RMB per student for undergraduate programs and 30,000 RMB per student for graduate programs. This initiative stands as a testament to the commitment of both the nation and its people towards bolstering rural education. In this endeavor, educational institutions, especially universities, assume a pivotal role in nurturing locally-rooted, high-quality rural teachers, thus contributing significantly to the advancement of high-quality and balanced compulsory education.