Xiliin Gol League in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region recently introduced several measures targeting teachers in ethnic schools, according to a report from Inner Monogila Daily.

It's a move responding to the decision made by the central government. This requires all the grade 1 and grade 7 students in ethnic schools in Inner Mongolia to use State-compiled Chinese textbooks and to teach in Putonghua -- the standard form of modern Chinese language that takes the Beijing dialect as standard pronunciation -- from the fall semester of 2020.

Establishing a transitional counselor system

Xiliin Gol League is encouraging Mongolian-Chinese bilingual teachers to provide after-school services to students who have difficulty learning in Putonghua. Students can apply voluntarily, and the school then makes the overall arrangements.

Each teacher tutors five to 10 students and the tutoring hours are included in the teacher's workload, with the overtime paid accordingly.

Establishing a growth mechanism for Mongolian-Chinese bilingual teachers

Starting from the fall semester of 2020, the education bureau of Xiliin Gol League will organize Putonghua proficiency tests for Mongolian-Chinese bilingual teachers every semester. Those who pass the tests will be issued a “Xiliin Gol League Mongolian-Chinese bilingual teacher” qualification certificate.

These teachers will be given priority for professional and technical titles selection and related position appointments.

Implementing Mongolian-Chinese bilingual teacher training plan

Teachers who use State-compiled textbooks to teach will be provided with professional advancement training, with the time taken for training included in the teacher's workload.

Meanwhile, Xiliin Gol League is supporting and encouraging teachers who use State-compiled textbooks and teach in Putonghua to set up teacher studios, to help improve their teaching ability in both Putonghua and the Mongolian language. The studios will be granted subsidies accordingly.

Adjusting the education and teaching evaluation standards in due course

Xiliin Gol League requires schools to systematically determine teaching objectives, flexibly set course subjects and formulate education and teaching evaluation rules and teacher evaluation rules that conform to the nationally compiled textbooks.

Schools shall not evaluate the teaching quality and levels of teachers who use nationally compiled textbooks and teach in Putonghua, based solely on student test scores.

Establishing fast-track channel to recruit Mongolian-Chinese bilingual teachers

When recruiting Mongolian-Chinese bilingual teachers who use State-compiled textbooks, requirements such as age and household registration can be appropriately relaxed. In addition, various methods such as direct trial teaching tests can be used to select teachers.