Tongnan Middle School partners with Chongqing No. 8 Secondary School to launch "dual-teacher classes." (Photo/Education Commission in Tongnan District)

Chongqing - As nearly 60% of China’s senior high school students study in county-level schools, the country has recently rolled out a new action plan to elevate their quality, expand resources, and bridge regional education gaps.

The plan proposes systematic solutions focusing on resource optimization, teacher development, and educational ecosystem improvement.

In resource optimization, China will introduce population forecasting systems to guide the construction of new schools and the expansion of existing ones, while ramping up government investment to modernize classrooms, laboratories, libraries, sports fields, and dormitories—ensuring every facility meets national standards and offers a better environment for learning.

To strengthen the educational ecosystem, the plan brings county educators into rural revitalization talent programs, expands the teacher pool through specialized training, and invites experienced urban and retired teachers to support county schools, while focusing on cultivating teaching leaders and improving systems for professional growth and evaluation.

The plan also enforces balanced study schedules by banning weekend and holiday makeup classes and standardizing school calendars to safeguard student well-being, while advancing digital empowerment through smart classrooms, expanded online learning access, and the integration of AI in teaching and management to help close the urban-rural education gap.

County schools struggle as cities attract talent

County-level schools in China remain a major pillar of senior high school education in terms of both number and enrollment. Data from the Ministry of Education shows that by 2024, China had 7,839 county-level senior high schools, accounting for 49.76% of all regular senior high schools nationwide. These schools enrolled 16.74 million students, or 57.27% of the total.

Over the coming years, the number of students of senior high school age in China is expected to keep rising, peaking around 2029. At the same time, demand for quality regular senior high school education is also increasing, according to an official from the Ministry of Education.

For a long time, key county senior high schools had been the main pathway for rural students to change their lives through education. In the past, entering the county’s top high school was seen as being "halfway to a key university," and its strong teaching quality even attracted students from nearby cities.

Today, however, many county-level schools are struggling to sustain that success. As urbanization accelerates and educational resources concentrate in larger cities, academic performance in county schools has declined in recent years, with top students increasingly choosing to study in provincial capitals or other urban centers.

Researches by the team of Yang Hua, a professor from the Department of Sociology at Wuhan University illustrate this trend: at a model senior high school in a central province, 16 students were admitted to Tsinghua University and Peking University between 2004 and 2008, yet from 2008 to 2021, not a single student reached either university, and its first-tier university admission rate dropped to just 31%.

In a western province, most of the top 200 students in the county’s high school entrance examination have chosen elite schools in provincial capitals or nearby cities in the past two to three years. In 2020, only 82 of the top 150 students remained at the county school, and the number continues to decline.

At the same time, higher salaries and better career opportunities in urban schools have drawn away many talented teachers, further widening the gap. Yang also noted that the shift in admissions at top universities toward independent enrollment has made it increasingly difficult for county schools to secure places for their students through channels such as academic competitions.

Tongnan No. 1 Secondary School offers specialized classes designed to foster students' multifaceted development. (Photo/Education Commission in Tongnan District)

Revitalizing education in county schools

Recognizing these challenges, China has in recent years launched several initiatives to support county senior high schools, including expanding educational resources, upgrading facilities, reducing student outflow, strengthening funding and teacher support, and improving teaching quality.

Located outside Chongqing's central urban area, Tongnan District has ramped up efforts in recent years to strengthen its county-level education system. Data from the district's Education Commission show that fiscal spending on education has risen from 15% of the general public budget in 2018 to the current 20%. Over the past six years, the district has invested 1.7 billion yuan (about 238.73 million U.S. dollars) in school infrastructure to optimize layouts, integrate resources, and build or renovate facilities, easing shortages in campus space, classrooms, sports grounds, and functional rooms. Schools have also been equipped with sufficient teaching instruments and digital learning facilities in line with national standards.

Alongside infrastructure upgrades, Tongnan has focused on improving teaching quality. More than 1,200 young teachers have joined local schools, while the number of postgraduate-educated teachers has increased from 158 to 535. The district is also creating a supportive environment to help talented teachers grow and stay, according to the district's Education Commission.

To give students access to better learning resources, Tongnan Middle School has partnered with top schools in urban areas such as Chongqing No. 8 Secondary School and Chongqing Bashu Secondary School to launch "dual-teacher classes," where two teachers collaborate to deliver lessons. Typically, one teacher from a leading urban school conducts the class remotely or through live connection, while a local teacher provides on-site guidance and personalized tutoring. By combining high-quality instruction with local support, this approach helps narrow the education gap between urban and rural areas.

Jiang Jun, head of the district's Education Commission, said that Tongnan has launched ten cooperative support programs — including joint training of top students and the sharing of teaching expertise — which have steadily improved local education quality.

In addition, schools are diversifying their offerings through arts, sports, and interdisciplinary programs that blend AI and creative practice. These efforts have broadened development pathways for students, with nearly 200 art and sports talents advancing to higher education each year, according to the district's Education Commission.