On July 11th, the topic of “Education Bureau recruiting teachers to care for children of cadres during summer vacation” sparked heated discussions on the internet.
In the morning of July 11th, an informed person in Longgang District of Shenzhen, who preferred to remain anonymous, told a reporter from Huashang News that on the afternoon of July 10th, a middle school in Longgang District of Shenzhen issued a notice within the teachers’ group, recruiting volunteers and encouraging teachers to actively sign up to care for children of cadres and employees during the summer vacation at government institutions.
The informant mentioned that it was unclear whether the volunteer recruitment offered any compensation, and there was no information provided regarding lunch arrangements or break times in the notice from the school.
Chat screenshots circulating online showed the requirements for the summer custody work of children of cadres and employees under the “Little Dragon Plan.” The District Education Bureau was required to recruit volunteers during the summer vacation period with 14 volunteer slots available for each street. The recruitment period for volunteers in Bantian was scheduled from July 22nd to 26th with specific work locations listed in the table.
A reporter from Huashang News saw in the attached table of the notice “List of Volunteers for the ‘Little Dragon Plan’ for Custody of Children of Cadres and Employees during Summer Vacation” that recruited teacher volunteers in Bantian would work at two locations: one at the centralized office area of the district government compound (7 rooms on the south side of the 1st floor of the office building), and the other at the centralized office area of the Customs Building (leisure area on the 8th floor of the district children’s building and 7 other locations), with working hours scheduled from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily on weekdays.
Jiupai News made inquiries as a resident to several schools within the service area of the street-level education office, and staff from Yangmei Experimental School and Sci-Tech City Foreign Language School confirmed receiving the notification.
On the morning of July 11th, a staff member of the Education Bureau in Longgang District of Shenzhen stated that it was inconvenient to discuss the volunteer recruitment matter and advised contacting the Bantian Street Office for specific details.
A staff member from the Bantian Street Office mentioned that the volunteer recruitment this time followed a voluntary principle and there were arrangements made for teacher volunteers for lunch and breaks.
This incident quickly stirred up discussions on the internet.
A parenting blogger and Weibo influencer with the username “I have two pearls” commented: “Do you understand the role of teachers? They are not only caregivers, but also service staff. Parents can complain at will, and leaders can deploy at will. Public welfare volunteers (without pay) should sign up voluntarily (young teachers should not shy away). By the way, have the teachers in this place received their performance evaluations?”
A netizen named “Blooming towards the Sunshine” remarked: “Speaking as a frontline teacher, unless the compensation offered is exceptional or if one is in dire financial need, no teacher who has been busy for a semester with numerous chaotic training sessions and home visits will voluntarily take on such a role as a volunteer. Don’t deceive the public and treat everyone as fools. Some people may have a bit of power in their hands but have lost sight of their own identity.”
A fund blogger and Weibo influencer under the handle “Waking Waves into Fund Investment” mocked: “On one hand, prohibiting the arrangement of fake classes; on the other hand, recruiting volunteers to care for the children of cadres. A country like this is worthy of our love.”
Under public pressure, “Shenzhen Longgang Announcement” on the evening of July 11th stated that the Longgang District would open a public summer childcare program for eligible children in the district in 2024 and recruit volunteers from the entire society.