Teacher rotation

What is rotation and what are its features;
Why in Japan they consider this mechanism fair for everyone and what bonuses do teachers receive from rotation in Korea;
How in China rotation led to a decrease in teacher motivation;
Is this mechanism suitable for Russia;
What are the risks of forced change of schools for teachers.

Accessible and high-quality education for all is an important task facing society both in Russia and around the world. Many countries are taking radical measures to address this problem, including rotating teachers and administrative staff within educational institutions. This approach allows for the updating of educational methods, improving the quality of teaching, and ensuring more effective interactions between students and teachers. In the face of modern challenges related to economic and technological changes, access to quality education is becoming an important factor in societal development and enhancing global competitiveness. What does this mean? After a certain period of work at one school, a teacher or principal can be transferred to another educational institution. The new position is not chosen by the teacher or principal themselves, but, for example, by the ministry of education, a special council, or a department within the district administration. This practice began to develop in the 20th century and is currently observed primarily in Asian countries. Although each country has its own unique characteristics, several common features of this system can be identified. For example, such a practice can facilitate the exchange of experience between educational institutions, improve the quality of teaching and improve school management.

The reason for introducing rotation is most often the desire to equalize opportunities for all students and make quality education accessible;
Rotation is a mandatory part of work in the educational system;
The terms of work in a specific educational institution are 3-7 years (there are, however, exceptions);
Experienced and strong specialists are usually sent to weaker (or further away) schools;
Rotation is implemented where there are already relationships between schools - for example, in Singapore, schools form unique complexes, and in China, urban and rural schools agree on partnerships.

Each country has unique experiences that deserve a more detailed analysis. Let's consider the key aspects that distinguish the various approaches and practices in each of them. Understanding these differences is important for implementing successful strategies and adapting to local conditions.

How Teacher Rotation Works in Different Countries

In Japan, a teacher rotation policy has been in place for several decades. Teachers rarely stay in one public school for more than 3-5 years; they are regularly transferred from one educational organization to another. This phenomenon is known as Jinji idou. Rotation is mandatory, and its process is overseen by the prefectural board of education, which determines when and to which school a teacher should be transferred. This system is aimed at improving the quality of education and the exchange of experience between educational institutions.

The Japanese believe that teacher rotation contributes to a more equitable and homogeneous education system. This approach avoids the concentration of qualified teachers in certain educational institutions and ensures that students from different areas have equal opportunities to receive a quality education. Teacher rotation plays a key role in improving the overall quality of teaching and fostering an educational environment in which every student can reach their potential. The development of teacher rotation policies in Japan began in the 1950s, and the system was officially implemented in the early 1960s. Since then, teacher rotation has been updated and improved numerous times. Currently, rotation is practiced in Japan not only for teachers but also for principals and other school administration staff. This system is aimed at improving the quality of education and creating a more dynamic educational environment.

A teacher and a group of children on an excursion, Kyoto, Japan, 2016. Photo: MeSamong / Shutterstock

Transfer rules and the time frame within which a teacher must change jobs may vary by region. However, the general policy applies nationwide.

Rotation occurs within a prefecture, but is not limited to just one locality: a teacher may be offered a transfer from a city to a village or to another city.
School levels also vary: for example, a teacher may first be transferred to a stronger school, then to one considered weaker. This allows teachers to gain diverse professional experience and improve their qualifications, while maintaining a balance between more and less experienced teachers in each specific school.
Teachers do not have to worry about how the transfer will affect their salary, since teachers' salaries are determined by law. They are paid not by schools, but by the prefecture and its authorized divisions. The system also provides subsidies and economic support for teachers during rotation periods.

Student rotation was introduced in South Korea in the 1970s and has since been steadily integrated into the country's educational system. The main reasons for this practice are the desire to create a homogeneous educational environment and ensure equal access to quality education for all children. In South Korea, as in other countries with a residence permit system for school admission, this aspect is particularly relevant, as it promotes fairness and equality in education.

As in Japan, in South Korea, the tenure of teachers and administrators in public schools is limited. Private schools do not use this rotation policy. For principals, the term is four years, and for teachers, it varies, but in most cases, it is five years. Most often, specialists transfer to another school in the same region. Teachers can be assigned to both strong and less prestigious schools, and can be transferred from urban schools to rural areas.

In 2010, the South Korean Ministry of Education introduced a teacher evaluation system to improve teacher motivation. Under this system, teachers undergo regular examinations and participate in seminars and professional development programs, for which they receive points. School leaders, students, and their parents also provide evaluations. The points earned play a key role in both teacher salaries and career advancement. This system promotes a more competitive educational environment and improves the quality of teaching.

The system has a number of additional features:

Teachers working in disadvantaged areas receive certain privileges, such as additional payments and the opportunity to choose their next school. In addition, their working hours are reduced, and their classes are smaller than usual. By the way, this is also taken into account in the points system.
The system in Korea is generally quite flexible: for example, a teacher can receive a salary increase if they move too far from home, or be temporarily exempt from the requirement to transfer to another school if circumstances prevent them and they provide advance notice. Circumstances include, for example, the need for medical treatment or caring for sick relatives. And if both spouses in the family are teachers and one is already working in a remote area, then the second does not participate in the rotation.

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Moving to the Village for Children's Education: Romanticism or a Conscious Choice?

Many families consider living in the village, striving to provide their children with a high-quality education and harmonious development. This step may be perceived as romantic, filled with dreams of nature and tranquility, but behind it lies a serious, conscious choice.

Rural life offers unique learning opportunities. Children have the chance to immerse themselves in nature, develop independence skills, and learn to work in a team. Education in the village can be more individualized, and the attention to each child can be closer.

However, before taking such a step, it is important to weigh the pros and cons. Life in the village requires readiness for new conditions, changes in the usual way of life, and possible economic difficulties.

Nevertheless, for many families, moving to the village becomes not only a way to improve the quality of life, but also an opportunity to create a favorable atmosphere for the growth and development of children. This is a conscious choice that can change their future.

What is happening where rotation is just being introduced

In countries where personnel rotation has been implemented for many years, this process has become part of an effective governance system. Nevertheless, the implementation of such a policy requires significant effort and time, as illustrated by the experience of China. Here, rotation is not just a formality, but a carefully thought-out mechanism influencing the stability and development of various industries.

The introduction of teacher rotation with the aim of reducing inequality in education was proposed by the Chinese government in 2010. In 2014, the country's authorities presented a policy document outlining a strategy for 10% of teachers from prestigious urban schools to be rotated annually to lesser-known schools in disadvantaged and rural areas. This program aimed to ensure that at least 20% of the teachers participating in the rotation would be experienced and highly qualified, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the initiative. In addition, the strategy provided for participation in the rotation of school principals and their deputies, which should contribute to the improvement of the educational process in less developed regions.

Modern school, China, 2017. Photo: bonandbon / Shutterstock

The initiative to improve education in China was not implemented universally, and only now is it beginning to attract renewed interest. This is due to the desire to provide Chinese schoolchildren with a high-quality education, as well as to address smaller, but no less important, problems in the education sector.

Reducing the financial burden on families. Currently, the gap between the quality of teaching in Chinese schools is large, and parents, of course, want to provide their children with the opportunity to enter a good university. This led to the fact that in 2020, tutoring accounted for the largest share of Chinese household expenditures – 32.4%. This was reported by YuiCai Global, citing China Central Television. As is well known, China is currently actively combating private tutoring and any other expenses related to children's supplementary education, including EdTech, thereby trying to make educational opportunities independent of financial resources. Combating uneven settlement. In China, parents spend huge sums of money to buy housing in areas with the best schools in large cities. After all, children can only attend public schools in the area where they are registered. And since the quality of education varies from area to area, for many parents, the quality of schools in the area becomes a decisive factor when purchasing a home. This demand inevitably affects housing prices, and families are forced to pay significantly more for apartments if they are located at a prestigious school. The rotation system is expected to change this situation. Although the strategy was adopted almost ten years ago, it did not provide clear guidelines for the implementation of the transfer program, leaving this issue to the discretion of local authorities. This is probably why China still lacks a unified and mandatory rotation mechanism covering the country's educational system, as is implemented in Japan or Korea. This creates difficulties in organizing and standardizing educational processes, which may negatively affect the quality of education as a whole.
The study, "Bridging the Gap: China's Experience with Teacher Rotation," presents an example of the successful implementation of a teacher rotation strategy in one of the administrative districts of a Chinese province, where this process was launched in 2014. To ensure the confidentiality of the study participants, the author does not provide a specific name of the district, but describes in detail the processes and difficulties faced by teachers. For convenience, this region is designated as "Administrative District A." The study emphasizes the importance of teacher rotation for improving the quality of education and improving teaching practices in the region.
Certain features were identified in this text.
- It was decided to send experienced teachers from strong schools to rural and weak schools.
Experienced teachers were replaced by less qualified specialists. The transfers took place within the framework of school mergers, which implied partnerships between urban and rural schools. However, two strong schools in the district chose to merge with other urban institutions, which allowed their teachers to remain in the city during rotation rather than move to rural areas. This decision contributed to the retention of qualified personnel in the urban education system and improved the quality of education for students.
- Authorities were forced to change the system of teacher "affiliation."
Before the new changes, the fate of teachers was in the hands of the schools themselves. For example, a weaker school or an educational institution in a rural area could seek assistance from a stronger school with which they had a partnership. However, the decision to transfer was made solely by the principal of the school where the request was made. It is unlikely that anyone would want to let go of an experienced and talented teacher with high results. This created certain difficulties in the redistribution of teaching staff and limited opportunities for the development of the educational process.

Sichuan Province, China, 2017. Photo: LP2 Studio / Shutterstock

The local administration decided to create a Teacher Management and Placement Center to optimize the educational process. The center is headed by the district mayor, and the vice mayor serves as his deputy. The leadership also includes the heads of key local departments, such as education, finance, and social protection. Importantly, teachers are not "pulled" from schools unnecessarily; they are reassigned only to institutions that require additional support. The author of the study emphasizes that over time, this initiative received support from the Ministry of Education, which facilitated the implementation of the teacher rotation system in other districts. This innovation is aimed at improving the quality of education and more efficiently distributing teaching resources.

Teacher salaries had to be equalized.

Previously, prestigious schools were able to pay their teachers additionally from their own budgets, which were formed from a choice tax paid by parents who wished to enroll their children in a particular educational institution. This created a situation where it was unprofitable for teachers to leave such schools for others that did not offer additional payments. As a result, this practice was abolished. In its place, special additional payments were introduced for teachers working in rural areas, amounting to approximately 15% of their base salary. According to the study, while many rural school teachers surveyed rated this initiative positively, three in ten expressed the opinion that they would prefer to remain in their previous urban schools.

Those moving to rural areas are provided with housing.

Survey participants noted that the opportunity to live in a fully equipped, free apartment while working at a new school is a significant advantage. This is convenient, as no additional costs are required for housing. All you need to do is bring only the necessary personal belongings in one suitcase. This approach simplifies the relocation process and allows you to focus on work and adapting to the new educational environment.

Participation in the rotation program is a prerequisite for career advancement.

Teachers surveyed emphasized the importance of continuing education, as their income is directly linked to the opportunity to reach a new professional level. China has a four-level teacher qualification system, emphasizing the importance of continuous development and training in this profession.

The study shows that it is premature to evaluate the effectiveness of the experiment in "District A" at this stage, as insufficient time has elapsed for analysis. However, a worrying sign is already emerging: teachers are losing motivation. Ignoring their opinions about transfers to less prestigious or rural schools reduces their desire to actively help students achieve high results. Furthermore, teachers fear that they will not have equal career and academic opportunities compared to those who remain in more successful educational institutions. Personal and family circumstances also play a role. As a result, teachers are often limited to performing minimal duties, which leads to a decrease in the quality of education and does not create the conditions for achieving outstanding results.

Hebei Province, China, 2019. Photo: chinahbzyg / Shutterstock

The study revealed an important feature: authorities' desire to maintain a balance between strong and weak schools. On the one hand, there is a need to transfer teachers from successful schools to low-performing institutions. On the other hand, it is qualified staff that makes schools strong. The transfer of such specialists can negatively impact the performance of previously successful educational institutions. This creates a dilemma for authorities, who must find optimal solutions to improve the quality of education as a whole without compromising the successes already achieved.

In 2021, media reported that new regions such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Changzhou adopted regulations and began implementing teacher and administrative staff rotation programs in schools. However, as Chinese educator Zhu Yu emphasizes in an article for Shanghai Daily, implementing a rotation policy alone is not capable of solving all the problems in the education sector. Therefore, the Chinese authorities need to continue working on other reforms in the education system.

Rotation affects not only teachers but also school administration.

Rotation of principals and their deputies is practiced in countries such as Singapore. In this country, the term of service in one position is five to seven years. The transfer of administrators occurs not only within one school, but also to other structures, such as the Ministry of Education. For example, principals can be appointed superintendents of school districts, which allows them to share their experience and implement successful practices in several educational institutions simultaneously. This system contributes to the development of the educational environment and improves the quality of teaching.

The National Institute of Education offers a unique opportunity for specialists in the field of education, although such vacancies are not very common. At this institution, experts share their practical experience with students who also aspire to become leaders in the field of education, as well as with academics. This exchange of opinions and knowledge not only expands the pedagogical knowledge base but also ensures a constant update of information, thereby avoiding excessive focus on theoretical aspects.

At Singapore's Ministry of Education, principals are appointed not only by decree but also in accordance with high traditions. Each appointment is accompanied by a formal ceremony that highlights the significance of the new leaders' achievements. This underscores respect for their contribution to the country's education system and fosters a positive image of the Ministry. Such events help to increase motivation among employees and strengthen the corporate culture in educational institutions.

Could teacher rotation appear in Russia?

The situation in our country is in many ways reminiscent of processes occurring in Asia: students from prestigious schools in large cities have access to qualified teachers, while in remote communities, beginning teachers without the necessary experience work. In Russia, there are state programs and public initiatives aimed at attracting teachers to rural schools, but this does not constitute a full-fledged rotation. In our country, there is also an opinion of experts who advocate the introduction of teacher rotation in order to improve the quality of education in remote areas.

Elena Lenskaya, PhD in Pedagogical Sciences and Director of the Center for the Study of Educational Policy at the Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences (MSSES), emphasizes the importance of rotation in the educational system. In an interview with Vesti.FM radio, she noted that this mechanism has the potential to fundamentally transform the education system. For Russian teachers, rotation may be an unfamiliar experience, and parents may not always be supportive. Nevertheless, as the expert emphasizes, societal changes require adaptation and development of the education system.

Many aspects of our lives have undergone significant changes, yet we continue to expect the education system to remain the same as it was 50 years ago. This is impossible, even with a strong desire to preserve old traditions. Change is inevitable. Previously, lifelong tenure at one company was valued, and those who frequently changed jobs were considered unstable. Today, workers who adapt to new conditions and change jobs reap advantages. They are perceived as more flexible and prepared to cope with uncertainty, which is precisely the situation we find ourselves in. These changes also affect teachers, who must also adapt to new demands and challenges.

She emphasized that changes should not be implemented abruptly. A good place to start is with job rotation within the school. This will allow different groups of students to have access to teachers with diverse experience and levels of knowledge, which in turn will enrich the educational process and improve the quality of learning.

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Young teachers are always in demand in schools, but if you look at how they are hired, you get the impression that they are not expected.

Does rotation really work?

Teacher rotation is not the only way to achieve uniform quality of school education, but it plays an important role in educational systems. Countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, where this mechanism has been effectively implemented, consistently occupy high positions in international rankings of educational systems. Each approach to organizing the educational process has its advantages and disadvantages, which must be taken into account to improve the quality of education.

Equality of educational opportunities. Teacher rotation, as demonstrated by the experience of these countries, truly provides access to experienced, highly professional teachers for the widest possible range of students. Thanks to this system, parents don't need to search for "top" schools for their children, and children from rural or hard-to-reach areas don't have to worry about getting into a prestigious city school to gain the same level of knowledge as their more successful peers. Homogeneity of school education. The experience of Japan, analyzed by American researcher Ryan Seabrook, serves as an example. He compared the level and quality of education, as well as the qualifications of teachers, in 49 Japanese schools from different regions of the country (23 private, where there is no rotation, and 26 public). He surveyed 1,456 teachers and assessed a number of important indicators, including the percentage of full-time teachers, average teaching experience, level of teacher certification, and the presence of an academic degree. The data obtained indicate that qualified teachers are more evenly distributed in the public education sector compared to the private sector. Seabrook suggested that the most likely reason for this is the rotation that occurs in the public education sector.
Balanced teaching staffs. For example, in Japan, the Education Council, which oversees teacher rotation, ensures that teams maintain a balance between young and experienced teachers, between male and female teachers.
Transfer of positive practices and experience. This works with both teachers and school administration. For example, in Singapore, the idea of rotating principals of educational institutions includes the introduction of useful, proven practices not only in a specific school, but also in an entire "connection" of educational institutions.

The complexity of the rotation mechanism and the implementation of the system. Introducing rotation quickly, painlessly, and cheaply is impossible: legislative and budgetary changes, a system of motivation and support must be considered. And most importantly, teachers' salaries must be decent. This is confirmed by the experience of China, whose authorities have been talking about the need for rotation for many years, but the policy of transferring teachers from school to school has not yet fully taken effect.
Lack of guarantees. Appointing strong teachers and even principals to weaker schools does not guarantee that things will not return to normal after their contracts expire. Simply put, after they leave, the school may remain weak—this was even stated by the "rotational" teachers themselves, who were interviewed in China.
Reluctance to invest in temporary specialists. The administration of prestigious schools usually spends resources on developing their teachers: training, education, and coaching. But if it is known that a "cultivated" strong specialist will leave for another school in three years, then what is the point of investing time and effort in their development?
Difficulties for teachers. Only from "above" might it seem that moving to another job, let alone changing one's place of residence, is not such a difficult process. In reality, this is, of course, not the case at all.

Kyoto, Japan, 2018. Photo: Vladimir Zhoga / Shutterstock

What Rotation Means for Education Professionals

Teacher rotation plays an important role in professional growth and experience gain. It provides teachers with the opportunity to work in a variety of teams and settings, which contributes to the development of their skills. This process is not one-sided: experienced teachers can transfer to less prepared schools, and young specialists get the chance to develop in stronger educational institutions. This gives newcomers the opportunity to learn from their colleagues and expand their teaching experience. Similarly, rotation applies to school administration, allowing specialists to adapt to new teams and effectively solve various problems. In Russia, high staff turnover in educational institutions has already become a common practice, and this rotation is becoming an important element in improving the quality of education.

Job rotation can present serious difficulties both personally and psychologically. Experts highlight many problems associated with this topic. Changing work environments often causes stress, uncertainty, and a sense of loss. Frequent changes can impact trust in colleagues and create challenges in building team relationships. Furthermore, adapting to new work conditions and demands can lead to burnout and decreased motivation. It is important to consider these aspects in order to effectively cope with the challenges of rotation and support the psychological well-being of staff.

Not everyone adapts equally easily to constant change;
The culture within the new school may be very different from the one the teacher is used to, which is also fraught with difficulties for them;
Every few years, a teacher is faced with the need to re-integrate into the team and build relationships with the administration, colleagues and students;
Personal circumstances may prevent a teacher from viewing a transfer to a new job positively: for example, if they are moving to another city, and they have elderly parents at home whom they are worried about.

Practice shows that the rotation mechanism should not be limited exclusively to the legislative and regulatory aspects of the transfer. An important element is also the provision of comprehensive support, including psychological assistance, for teachers and leaders undergoing rotation. This will help improve their adaptation to new working conditions and increase the effectiveness of the educational process.