Problems and Solutions in the Professional Development of Rural Primary School Teachers in Zhoukou, China

This study was conducted with two primary objectives in mind. The first objective was to explore the teaching experiences of educators, and the second was to identify specific strategies that contribute to the basic professional development of rural teachers in the Zhoukou region of China. A mixed-methods approach was employed to achieve these objectives, comprising both a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. A total of 111 valid questionnaires were distributed across six primary schools. Additionally, ten teachers were selected based on specific criteria to represent diverse experiences and perspectives and were interviewed in-depth. The findings from this study painted a complex picture of the teaching landscape in rural China. On one hand, many primary school teachers expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs despite participating in school-based training programs. Many of these teachers reported receiving only partial reimbursement for external training expenses