Fears over Chinese school staff shortages as women teachers opt for second baby after end of one-child policy

Some schools in one Chinese province could experience manpower shortages because so many women teachers have chosen to have a second child after the central government ended its controversial decades-long one-child policy, mainland media reports.

Officials in the city of Qingdao, Shandong province, fear their absence could hit the academic performance of students.

However, such problems may not be isolated only to Qingdao, and could also be experienced in cities across the country.

The Qingdao Morning Post reported that officials in many primary and middle schools in the city are worried that, because of the change in the law, too many of its women staff will end up taking maternity leave at the same time.

“We have four long-time women teachers expecting their second children right now, among whom some are head teachers – who are responsible for overall class management as well as teaching,” one school head was quoted as saying.