Selection of our books indexed in the Book Citation Index in Web of Science™ Core Collection (bkci)

2.3 The ECE teaching force
Sustaining ECE in China is dependent on effective management systems, 
sufficient financial inputs and the quantity and quality of professionally trained 
teachers [36]. However, there have been issues with the management systems of 
local governments, including ill-defined functions and responsibilities, mismatched 
personnel allocation and insufficient financial inputs [37]. In addition, the weak 
professional identity and the low social status of teachers negatively influence the 
development of the ECE teaching force in China [38].
Another issue is China’s shortage of preschool teachers, which is a major chal-
lenge to ECE development. 
Figure 2
shows that the number of teachers increased 
from 1,315,634 in 2011 to 2,432,138 in 2017, and the teacher-child ratio gradually 
improved from 1:26 to 1:19 (
Figure 3
). Nonetheless, a severe shortage of preschool 
teachers is predicted over the next few years. According to the 
Compendium for 
China’s Mid- and Long-Term Education Development (2010–2020)
, there will be a 
75% increase in the number of preschool-aged children by 2020. An additional 
155,200 preschool teachers will be required by then [39]. The new challenge is tied 
to the 
Two-child Policy,
implemented in 2016. Couples are now permitted to have 
more children and are expected to do so. It is projected that such population growth 
will have an impact on ECE development. For example, the shortage of ECE teach-
ers is predicted to reach 2.4 million by 2020 [40]. There are several reasons for this, 
including teachers’ low wages, low social status and job insecurity [13]. In the past, 
this has led to a high attrition rate and wastage among preschool teachers in China. 
For example, in Beijing, one out of three teachers in private preschools resigns each 
year [41].

---

Teacher Education in the 21st Century
6
Due to low professional entry qualifications, preschool teachers’ professional 
status has not been well recognised in China [42]. As shown in 
Figure 4
, the rate 
of educational attainment (for example, an Associate degree or above) gradu-
ally increased from 2011 to 2017, but in 2017, only 21% of preschool teachers had 
obtained an undergraduate degree or above. This may lead to preschool teachers’ 
poor self-image and low level of professionalism [42, 43]. Indeed, teachers in Chinese 
preschools often consider teaching and taking care of children as their sole function. 
This perception is rooted in the belief that preschool teachers in China are followers 
who do not take responsibility for anything other than teaching and caring inside the 
classroom. However, several previous studies have indicated that teachers play a key 
role as change agents for school development and improvement [32, 44]. Teachers 
with a strong professional identity perceive themselves to be effective leaders and 
active participants in decision-making, and 
vice versa
[43]. Freidson stated that pro-
fessionalism enables teachers to cultivate a sense of self-direction, independence and