Local governments must change their attitude to education and protect teachers’ legal rights and interests, says an article in 21st Century Business Herald. Excerpts:

More than 1,000 teachers in Luohe, Henan province, complained recently that the local government constantly withheld their wages for years.

Similar problems appeared in other places too, especially in villages and counties.

Local governments have seen a marked decline in their revenue this year. Admittedly, that does not necessarily mean teachers cannot get paid on time.

Teachers are less powerful than government officials. Some local authorities do not think withholding teachers’ wages constitutes a violation of the Teacher’s Law.

In this sense, it is natural that some local governments regard expenses on education as giving room to maneuver when the government is in financial difficulty.

In the eyes of some grassroots officials, teachers do not contribute to local economic growth directly. That narrow-minded attitude to education and teachers reveals that officials do not know the importance of education.

It will take a long time to reverse the officials’ attitudes toward teachers and education.

The central government must urge local governors to abide by the Teacher’s Law, and take concrete actions to protect teachers’ legal rights.