Teacher Shortage and Left-behind Predicament: A Multi-dimensional Analysis of Educational Inequality in Rural China

Educational equity is an important foundation for social equity and sustainable development. However, under the background of the urban-rural dual structure in China, rural education has long been in a relatively weak position. Despite the country’s continuous promotion of the policy of balanced development of education, rural areas still face problems such as teacher shortage and loss, insufficient professionalization of teachers, limited investment in education funds and infrastructure, and restricted education and psychological development of left-behind children. Based on relevant literature and policy analysis, this article systematically analyzes the structural causes of rural educational inequality from three dimensions: educational resource allocation, rural teacher team building, and the development of left-behind children. It also proposes corresponding countermeasures in combination with the rural revitalization strategy, with the aim of providing references for promoting educational equity and the sustainable development of rural education.