Challenges of Rural Teacher Retention in the Context of Public-funded Teacher Education Program in Rural China

Abstract

This study applies structural functionalism to examine China's public-funded teacher education program and its effectiveness in rural teacher retention. Drawing on policy documents and in-depth rural teacher interviews, it explores how policy mechanisms interact with individual motivations and institutional structures. Despite increasing teacher supply, the program fails to sustain motivation and professional growth, revealing a fundamental misalignment between policy goals and teachers' personal aspirations. From a functionalist perspective, this misalignment produces systemic dysfunction: organizational overload, weak integration, and diminished sense of belonging. Moreover, limited career pathways and inadequate institutional support reduce goal attainment and system stability. The study argues that retention policies should move beyond short-term staffing solutions toward holistic career development frameworks that strengthen teachers' professional identity and organizational commitment. By situating rural teacher retention within a systemic and functionalist framework, this research contributes to understanding the structural and motivational dynamics shaping the sustainability of China's rural education policies.