A Study on In-service Training Systems for Kindergarten Teachers in Modern China : Focusing on the Analysis of Continuing Education Regulation for Primary and Secondary School Teachers in 1999

The objective of this study is to examine the characteristics and the problems of in-service training systems for kindergarten teachers in modern China, by analyzing the Continuing Education Regulation for Primary and Secondary School Teachers enacted by the Ministry of Education in 1999. As a result of this examination, three characteristics of this system can be drawn, as follows: First, in-service training for kindergarten teachers is compulsory. In the "Teacher Continuing Education Regulation," kindergarten teachers are required to take in-service training every 5 years throughout their career life, and local governments are responsible for designing and conducting the training plan. Second, the evaluation system for in-service teacher training is introduced. local governments are obligated to setup the evaluation system with a view to obtaining the desired results of the in-service training. Results of the in-service teacher training are associated with the personnel files, and are to be utilized for appointments and promotions. Third, the credit system is introduced into the in-service teacher training system in the many regions such as Beijing, Jilin Province, and the like. Consequently, any teacher can systematically take the necessary credits for in-service teacher training from the viewpoint of life-long learning. Thus, the in-service training system for kindergarten teachers in modern China has been drastically improved. There are, however, some problems to be resolved, such as reducing the in-service teacher training to a mere shell, the overburden of the training costs on the side of the teachers, and so on