ONE hundred students in the city will get free four-year university education, accommodation and even jobs this year if they agree to work as teachers after graduation. Teachers-to-be, however, have to sign a contract with the university promising he or she will work as teachers at designated primary or secondary schools, usually in the city's rural areas, for at least 10 years. Shanghai Normal University announced yesterday they would enroll 100 free education majors this year as part of the national level teacher training project which was launched in the city last year. Students who sign up for the free education major program will be exempt from tuition fees, dorm fees and will get a cost of living allowance - worth 52,000 yuan (US$7,312) - during the four-year university course. All the education costs will be paid by the city government, university officials said. Graduates will also be offered teaching jobs after graduation as well as further education opportunities such as part-time master degree programs. Li Jin, the university president, said the new project was meant to cultivate more qualified teachers for local suburban areas. "Only by supplying teachers of equal quality can Shanghai achieve a good balance between the downtown and rural areas." The university is one of the first regional-level universities to introduce free education major programs. Six national-level normal universities, including East China Normal University in Shanghai, launched pilot free education major programs last year. More than 1,000 high school graduates in the city signed up for the 50 free-education seats last year, pushing ECNU's education major admission line to a record high last year. Students who want to sign the program need to sit a written academic exam next month and there will be follow-up psychological tests and interviews in early April. Application forms can be downloaded on the university's Website (http://www.shnu.edu.cn) from March 12 to 22. (Yan Zhen) (uploaded by Jessica)
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