Teachers warned over ethical violations

The Ministry of Education has vowed to take a zero tolerance approach to any violation of teaching ethics, and individuals who cross the line will be seriously punished according to laws and regulations.

Ren Youqun, director of the ministry's teacher education department, said at a news conference on Aug 31 that ethical violations by teachers this year have significantly damaged the overall image of the profession.

Progress has been made in recent years in promoting ethics and conduct among teachers. The vast majority of teachers have strong ideals and convictions and are fulfilling their task of fostering virtue among students, Ren said.

The ministry will keep working to strengthen the professional integrity of teachers, expose cases of misconduct and ensure that local authorities and schools accountable fulfill their responsibilities, he said.

Meanwhile, groundless complaints and tipoffs against teachers will be publicly clarified in a timely manner, he added.

Malicious distortion of facts, slander and defamation of teachers aimed at grabbing attention will be firmly refuted to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.

Railway police crack 5,700 criminal cases

Railway police cracked more than 5,700 cases involving crimes during the summer vacation, which ended on Aug 31.

The authorities said strict measures were taken to crack down on various criminal and wayward behavior such as theft, robbery, fraud, hogging seats and smoking on high-speed trains.

More than 24,000 public security cases were handled, and over 10,000 people accused of such behavior were arrested.

Retired instructors urged to return to work

China is encouraging retired teachers to start working again in response to challenges with the nation's aging population, urging them to play a bigger role in building a society where lifelong learning is pursued by everyone, according to the Ministry of Education.

According to a national action plan jointly published on Aug 30 by the ministry and nine other departments, 120,000 retired "silver age" teachers will return to education work both online and offline in the next three years.

The plan called for efforts to utilize retired teachers as vital human resources with the focus on key industry areas that need urgent development.

Retired teachers will be recruited to support the country's development of higher education as well as vocational, community and private education, the plan said.

It also stressed the coordination of government departments in sectors such as education, science and technology and healthcare, to motivate qualified retired staff to participate in the action plan.