Teaching Support organized by the government is of course important, but more important is the macro environment of harmonious contribution by the whole society
 
Individual Funding for Recruiting Teachers for Teaching Assistance

In 2006, 5 teachers from Shenzhen joined the children in the remote mountain area in Miquan Town, Changning, Hunan Province. These 5 teachers are recruited publicly using the private funding of Xu Lingfeng, a citizen of Shenzhen City. According to the recruitment conditions, these teachers will provide teach in the remote mountain area for 15 months and Mr. Xu will pay them a monthly salary of RMB2,000.

Over 80 Candidates for 5 Vacancies

Immediately after the news release of public recruitment of 5 teachers with individual funding for teaching in depressed area, there were so many applicants that was beyond the expectation of Mr. Xu, the sponsor. Finally they chose 30 of them to attend the final interview, which took place in Xinzhou Primary School in Futian District, Shenzhen City, divided into three groups: Chinese, Mathematics and English. All interviewed applicants were asked to give a demonstration teaching. In order to help Mr. Xu in choosing the best candidates, the Education Bureau of Futian District of Shenzhen City called out education specialists and teachers for free to serve as appraisal board members to Mr. Xu. After intense appraisal throughout a morning's time, 5 candidates were finally chosen.

Mr. Zhong from the Education Bureau of Futian District expressed that the act of public recruitment using private funding for teaching support has no relation with the Education Bureau of Futian District; but Mr. Xu is a resident of the District and the local education department should help Mr. Xu in his love act. The Education Bureau of Futian District provided free education specialists and teachers to serve as appraisal board members to help Mr. Xu choose teachers. Many suggestions were also provided to Mr. Xu. Some of the winners had no teaching experience, but all the 5 people had good qualities, and through interview, they were judged able to play the role of teachers. The working environment for them will be very hard, so more focus should be put on the psychological and environmental adaptation and regulation.

Spending RMB200,000 for Recruiting Personnel for Teaching Assistance

For the personnel recruited this time with the individual funding of Mr. Xu, beside the monthly salary of RMB2,000, Mr. Xu has also bought insurance for them, and a total capital contribution of about RMB200,000 will be made by Mr. Xu for the 15-month teaching assistance period.

Individual Funding Resulting in Heated Discussions in Various Circles
Citizens: Most of them expressed their understanding. Mr. Zhou from Shenzhen said: The depressed mountain areas lack very much in teachers and this well-meaning act of recruiting teachers with private funding for the mountain areas should be encouraged by the society; moreover, such act will play an ideal exemplary role, especially for those having certain economical conditions. Ms. Wu from Shenzhen expressed that it is an innovation to use individual funding for public recruitment for teaching assistance in the mountain area, the teaching assistance organized by the relevant organizations was realized on a voluntary basis and it was sometimes hard to participate in it; and with this individual funding approach, certainly there will be many people in the society willing to participate.

Education authority: It is the first time we experience such thing. The Education Bureau of Futian District stated that in the past, each year people from Shenzhen went to the depressed mountain areas for teaching support, as organized by the government. The teaching support personnel had their pay preserved by their employers in Shenzhen and their teaching work was voluntary, without remuneration. This is the first time to have Mr. Xu recruiting personnel from the society with his private funding and the teaching assistance personnel get remuneration for their teaching assistance. The education authority supports such act of Mr. Xu and this does not conflict with the government-organized teaching assistance. Of course, the activities organized by the government are essential, but more important is the macro environment of harmonious contribution by the whole society.

Caring & Attending Office of Shenzhen City: We encourage all kinds of contribution and activities about offering care and love to society of citizens. The relevant personnel of the Caring & Attending Office of Shenzhen City expressed that they support the act of Mr. Xu and that the act of Mr. Xu is also a key project of the 3rd Session of Caring & Attending Office of Shenzhen. The act of Mr. Xu is an innovation to the form of contribution to the society and Shenzhen Municipality encourages all kinds of activities that offering care and love to society. 
 
(Guangzhou Dail,y 3 April 2006  Journalist: He Tao)

For similar example in the UK, please check: http://www.teachfirst.org.uk