ABSTRACT
“Iron Rice Bowl” is a metaphoric term symbolizing jobs in which there are stable income and benefits for employees. In particular, these are jobs which are directly connected to the central government and state-run enterprises including the civil service. They also encompass teaching positions in government-run public schools. Such jobs are considered secure in their longevity and are accompanied with benefits such as free housing, education, and medical service. This was the case before the 1990s when China’s economy was centrally planned and controlled in which, besides setting economic goals, policies, investments and prices, the government also allocated and distributed resources. However, the situation is quite different at this point in time. Because there is an increasing number of students graduating from universities, the government can no longer promise civil-service employment for everyone. The current unemployment rate for graduates, 6 months after they leave college, is at 15 percent, that is, approximately 1 million individuals (Silbert, 2014). Furthermore, because the market economy now prevails in the country, the private sector creates more opportunities and competition that draw away many talented and ambitious young people from state-owned enterprises. There are thus fewer permanent jobs to be had and within this context, the job as a teacher is highly valued. However, job candidates must meet requirements to demonstrate compliancy to the system in order to the qualify for the job. This chapter discusses the factors that come into consideration when individuals strive to do so in order to be teachers who are permanent employees of the Chinese government.
