Chapter I General

Article 1 For the purpose of implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee and the Fourth Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Beijing Municipal Committee on the comprehensive reform of education, and in accordance with the Opinions of the State Council on Further Promoting the Balanced Development of Compulsory Education (Guo Fa [2012] No. 48), as well as Beijing's overall deployment of comprehensive education reform, Beijing has continuously expanded the coverage of quality educational resources, effectively improved English teaching in primary and secondary schools, actively responded to the needs of society and parents, and launched the project of foreign teachers' participation in the reform of English teaching in primary and secondary schools (“the Project” for short).

Article 2 In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the Project, the Measures are formulated in accordance with the objectives and tasks of the comprehensive reform of basic education, relevant requirements of the reform of the fiscal and tax system of Beijing, relevant provisions on education administration and budget management of Beijing, while taking into account the actual work.

Article 3 The Measures are applicable to colleges, universities, private educational institutions, district/county education commissions and primary and secondary schools involved in the Project.

Chapter II Project Description

Article 4 This is a three-year project starting in 2014. Beijing Municipal Education Commission shall authorize colleges, universities and private educational institutions to assist primary and secondary schools in hiring foreign teachers who will teach as headteachers, organize extracurricular activities such as English corner and English club, develop school-based English courses and participate in teacher training, thereby mobilizing the schools involved in the Project (hereinafter referred to as "project schools") to deepen course teaching reform, improve the level of English teachers, effectively improve English teaching and learning methods, cultivate students' ability in the comprehensive application of English listening and speaking, and promote the overall school-running level with characteristic English teaching.

Article 5 Beijing Municipal Education Commission shall entrust colleges and universities in Beijing with abundant foreign teachers, good social reputations and high participation enthusiasm to assist project schools in hiring foreign teachers. It shall also select suppliers from among private educational institutions with good social reputations, strong adaptability to the needs of teaching reform, high participation enthusiasm and qualifications for foreign teachers intermediary service in order to assist project schools in hiring foreign teachers. Foreign teachers hired by project schools with the assistance of colleges, universities and private educational institutions must meet relevant laws and regulations regarding foreigners employed in China, necessary qualifications for English teaching and relevant conditions required for the Project.

Article 6 In line with the overall plan for the comprehensive reform of basic education, foreign teachers will be provided to schools involved in the development of primary schools featuring music, sports and arts that are supported by colleges and universities, the establishment of project schools affiliated to colleges and universities, the development of secondary schools supported by education research authorities and the reform of English teaching in primary schools supported by private educational institutions. Project schools are generally those with certain working conditions and foundations, practical teaching needs and great potential for improvement and development. Project schools are mainly primary and secondary schools that are determined by Beijing Municipal Education Commission in the year preceding the implementation of the project.

Article 7 In accordance with the principles of proximity and management convenience, a university or college shall focus on supporting one or two districts or counties. The service targets of private educational institutions shall be determined in accordance with the contract. In principle, one foreign teacher shall be arranged for each primary or secondary school, and the number of foreign teachers for large-scale project schools and those affiliated to colleges and universities may be increased appropriately.

Chapter III Organization and Administration

Article 8 Beijing Municipal Education Commission shall be responsible for the overall planning and promotion of the Project, leading to formulate management measures and annual implementation plan for the Project, establishing the project guarantee mechanism and collaborating with Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau, Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality to promote the Project.

The Commission shall also be responsible for determining the allocation plan of foreign teachers in colleges and universities, and the list of project schools that are allowed to employ private educational institutions. It shall fulfill the centralized procurement procedures, determine the suppliers of private educational institutions and conduct the post-bidding management of the Project. It shall urge and coordinate universities, colleges and private educational institutions to assist in hiring foreign teachers as required. It shall be responsible for guiding district/county education commissions and project schools to implement the project implementation plan, and conducting investigations, inspections and evaluations of the project progress.

Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau shall be responsible for examining and approving the budget of project funds, and conducting supervision, inspection and performance assessment on the use and management of funds with relevant competent departments.

Article 9 District/county education commissions shall be responsible for overall project implementation in their respective regions, assigning special departments and fixed staff to be responsible for relevant project tasks, coordinating with colleges, universities, private educational institutions, relevant district/county authorities and project schools, comprehensively arranging and guiding project schools to conduct education and teaching management, assisting in the daily management and life services of foreign teachers, and supervising and inspecting project performance. District/county finance bureaus shall be responsible for approving and appropriating project budgets, and strengthening supervision over the management and use of funds.

Article 10 Colleges, universities and private educational institutions shall give full play to their channels and platforms for foreign teacher recruitment, assist in hiring appropriate foreign teachers for project schools according to the conditions determined by the Project, and ensure that all foreign teachers hired in accordance with the annual implementation plan are in place. Communication, training, guidance and assistance should be ensured in the process of the deployment and management of foreign teachers by project schools. Project funds shall be used economically and effectively in accordance with relevant administrative measures, laws and regulations.

Article 11 Project schools shall be responsible for assigning special staff to take the initiative to coordinate with colleges and universities or sign contracts with appropriate institutions at a specified budget determined through public tendering and bidding from the list of suppliers of private educational institutions at the municipal level, and fulfill the main responsibilities for the management and services of foreign teachers. Management of foreign teachers shall be ensured in accordance with relevant national and municipal policies and regulations on the management of foreign employees, and they shall be provided with necessary work and living support. Corresponding education and teaching tasks for foreign teachers shall be arranged to actively carry out English teaching reform and effectively improve the quality of English teaching.

Chapter IV Fund Management

Article 12 Municipal funds for implementation of the Project shall be included in the annual financial budget.

Article 13 Foreign teachers hired with the assistance of colleges and universities shall be supported at the standard of CNY 350,000 per person per year, and those hired with the assistance of private educational institutions shall be supported at the standard of not more than CNY 210,000 per person per year.

Article 14 Funds allocated to colleges and universities shall be mainly used to pay foreign teachers' remuneration (transportation subsidy for traveling to China and cost subsidy for handling relevant procedures can be included according to the contract) and related expenses for management services, among which the remuneration of a foreign teacher shall not be less than CNY 270,000. Management expenses are mainly used to pay fees for foreign teacher recruitment (including fees for agencies, recruitment fairs, interview organization, etc.), fees for the daily management and services of foreign teachers (including daily contact, life services, emergency handling, etc.), and fees for the management and training of foreign teachers (including recruitment procedures, training for deployment and management of foreign teachers, organization of exchanges and discussions, guidance on the reform of English teaching, etc.), including service fees, expert consultation fees, printing fees, conference fees, training fees, special material fees, urban transportation fees, communication fees, post and telecommunications fees, agency commission and service charges. General expenses involving the "public spending on government cars、overseas trips and official receptions", conference fees, printing fees and training fees shall be implemented in strict accordance with relevant policies and regulations at the municipal and district/county levels. Expenses included in the remuneration of foreign teachers shall not be included in the management fees.

Article 15 For private educational institutions assisting in the hiring of foreign teachers, the funds are mainly used for the remuneration of foreign teachers and agency fees of institutions. The salary and welfare of a foreign teacher shall not be less than CNY 170,000. The agency fees for private educational institutions shall be determined according to the government procurement price.

Article 16 Beijing Municipal Education Commission shall determine the list of colleges, universities and schools involved in the Project before the end of October in the year preceding the implementation of the Project, and send a copy of the list to Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau. Municipal and district/county education commissions and their subordinate project schools shall compile the project budget according to the annual project implementation plan, and announce the budget upon approval by the municipal and district/county bureaus.

Article 17 Colleges, universities and schools involved in the Project shall establish a sound fund management system, strictly implement relevant national and municipal regulations on budget management and financial accounting management, and strictly follow the budget approval process. Project funds shall be managed in a separate account to ensure their use for a fixed purpose, and shall not be intercepted, occupied or misappropriated.

Article 18 Project budget shall not be adjusted arbitrarily once approved. In budget implementation, in case of the termination, cancellation or modification of the Project, the approval procedures for budget adjustment shall be observed according to the requirements.

Article 19 Colleges, universities and district/county education commissions shall strengthen the tracking and monitoring of the use of project funds, and provide timely feedback on the problems encountered in the use and management of funds during project implementation. District/county education commissions shall, before the end of June each year, submit the overall implementation of the Project and the use and management of funds in the previous year to Beijing Municipal Education Commission in written form. The Commission shall inform Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau of the relevant information after analysis and summary.

Article 20 Surplus project funds shall be treated subject to relevant regulations of Beijing Municipality.

Chapter V Supervision and Inspection

Article 21 Beijing Municipal Education Commission and Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau shall be responsible for the management of project performance, including project implementation within the scope of the annual departmental budget performance assessment and carrying out the performance assessment. Beijing Municipal Education Commission and relevant municipal authorities shall conduct regular investigation, guidance, supervision and inspection of colleges, universities, private educational institutions and district/county education commissions and their subordinate project schools so as to ensure that the education and teaching quality of foreign teachers meet the agreed quality requirements, especially significant improvement of students' English listening and speaking skills.

Article 22 Colleges, universities, private educational institutions and district/county education commissions and their subordinate project schools shall be inspected and supervised by the education, finance, auditing and discipline inspection and supervision authorities.

Article 23 Any fiscal violation by colleges, universities or project schools, such as falsification, interception, misappropriation or occupation of special funds, shall be dealt with severely by finance authorities and other relevant authorities in accordance with the Budget Law of the People’s Republic of China and Regulations on Punishment and Disciplinary Action for Fiscal Violations (Order No. 427 of the State Council). Administrative responsibilities of relevant personnel shall be investigated and pursued in charge according to the law.

Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions

Article 25 The Measures shall be interpreted by Beijing Municipal Education Commission and Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau according to their respective responsibilities.

Article 26 The Measures shall come into force on February 10, 2015.