Chinese school offers two half-days of ‘love leave’ to stressed-out single teachers
- Unmarried and childless staff need time off to enjoy life and experience its beauty, principal says
A middle school in eastern China has offered its single and childless teachers two half-days of “love leave” a month to boost staff morale, local newspaper Dushi Kuaibao reported on Wednesday.
Dinglan Experimental Middle School in the city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, introduced the perk on Tuesday as part of a raft of new leave policies including “family leave” and “happiness leave” to take the pressure off overworked teachers.
Young single teachers and married teachers without children can apply for love leave, provided it does not interfere with teaching duties.
The school notified teachers in an internal letter sent on Tuesday, saying approval for applications would depend on the individual’s situation.
About 40 per cent of the school’s teachers are unmarried and the love leave was introduced to benefit this group, according to the school’s principal, identified only by his surname, Zhao.
“Normally, our teachers work very hard. I hope they will take advantage of this leave twice a month to relax and enjoy life, experience its beauty, and spend time with their family,” Zhao said. “I believe that students can only be happy if teachers improve their own happiness.”