China Wants Teachers to Focus on Teaching, Not Paperwork

China is taking major steps to ease the administrative burden on teachers. The government aims to help educators spend more time teaching and less time filling out forms.
For years, teachers across the country have complained about excessive paperwork. Many said it left them with little energy for lesson planning or helping students.

Reducing Bureaucracy in Education

The Ministry of Education recently issued new guidelines that limit non-teaching tasks for school staff. These include lengthy reports, data entry, and documentation that do not directly benefit classroom learning.
Schools must now assign administrative work to dedicated support teams. This change allows teachers to focus fully on their lessons and student development.
Local education authorities have also been instructed to cut unnecessary inspections and meetings. As a result, teachers can use their time more productively — preparing classes, mentoring students, and improving teaching quality.

Boosting Morale and Student Outcomes

Experts say this move will improve both teacher satisfaction and student learning outcomes. When teachers can focus on what they do best, the quality of education rises.
In addition, the reforms align with China’s national education goals under its modernization plan. The focus is on creating an innovative and efficient learning environment across schools.
The Ministry has also promised regular feedback from teachers to monitor how well these reforms work in practice.