On February 17, the Ministry of Education held the second press conference of the 2022 "Education New Year" series to introduce the relevant situation of the "Measures for the Appointment and Management of Vice Principals for the Rule of Law in Primary and Secondary Schools", which will be implemented from May 1, 2022.
"Vice Principals for the Rule of Law" as used in the "Measures for the Appointment and Management of Vice Principals for the Rule of Law in Primary and Secondary Schools" refers to personnel recommended or appointed by the people's courts, people's procuratorates, public security organs, and judicial administrative departments, who are hired by the administrative departments for education or schools, and who concurrently serve as vice principals in schools, assisting in carrying out work such as rule of law education, student protection, safety management, crime prevention, and governance according to law.
Carry out rule of law education for not less than 4 hours per year
For the work that the vice president of the rule of law needs to assist in carrying out during his performance of his duties, the "Measures" make it clear that rule of law education should be carried out. Promote the study and publicity of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, participate in the formulation of school rule of law education work plans, assist schools in innovating the content and form of rule of law education, undertake or organize the implementation of no less than 4 lessons per year in the school where they work, with rule of law practice education as the main task, increasing the pertinence and timeliness of rule of law education. Carry out rule of law publicity for faculty and staff, and guide and help teachers of ethics and rule of law courses to carry out rule of law education.
Guide and supervise schools in implementing their responsibility to protect minors
It is necessary to participate in the formulation and implementation of the school's student rights and interests protection system, participate in the student protection committee, student bullying governance and other organizations, guide and supervise schools to implement the responsibility for the protection of minors, and protect students' rights and interests in accordance with law.
In the prevention of juvenile delinquency, schools should be guided to conduct targeted crime prevention education for minor students, and strengthen management and education for students with bad behavior.
Participate in safety management and guide governance according to law
It is necessary to guide schools to improve the safety management system, assist in promoting the establishment of a school safety area system, assist schools in improving the prevention and handling mechanism for safety accidents, preside over or participate in the mediation and consultation of school safety accidents, guide schools to handle safety accident disputes in accordance with the law, and stop acts that infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of schools and teachers and students.
Assist the school to establish and improve school rules and discipline, improve various rules and regulations, participate in the review of school rules and school discipline, assist in handling the school's law-related litigation cases, enter the appeal committee, participate in handling teachers' and students' complaints, and assist in strengthening communication with the community, family and relevant aspects of society.
Carry out or guide the implementation of educational punishments
Schools, public security organs, and judicial administrative departments should be assisted in following laws and relevant provisions to give reprimands or corrections and education to students with negative conduct or serious negative conduct. According to the actual situation and needs of the school, participate in the establishment of a student education protection counseling work mechanism, and carry out special counseling and correction for students in need.
"Measures for the Appointment and Management of Vice Principals for the Rule of Law in Primary and Secondary Schools": Each school shall be equipped with at least 1 vice principal for the rule of law
The Measures for the Appointment and Management of Vice Principals for the Rule of Law in Primary and Secondary Schools emphasize that each school should be equipped with at least one vice principal for the rule of law, giving priority to schools in remote areas, rural areas and weak schools in cities.
The "Measures" make it clear that the vice president of the rule of law needs to have rich legal expertise and rule of law practice experience, and be engaged in rule of law work for more than three years. Eligible retirees who are not more than 65 years of age may also be recommended to serve as vice-chancellors for the rule of law for one term. The appointment period of the vice president for the rule of law is generally three years, and can be renewed after the expiration of the term.
The "Measures" emphasize that each school should be equipped with at least 1 vice principal for the rule of law, and schools with a large number of teachers and students and needs may employ 2 or more vice principals of the rule of law with less than 5 people. At the same time, priority will be given to the establishment of vice-principals for the rule of law in schools in remote areas, rural areas and weak urban schools.
Implement the training program for vice presidents of the rule of law assessment mechanism
The "Measures" also require that the administrative department of education shall, in conjunction with the dispatched organs, formulate a training plan and plan for vice principals under the rule of law, and include them in the training plan for teachers and principals. Training shall include content such as political theory, protection of minors, education laws and policies, mental health education, and school safety management.
Dispatched organs and administrative departments for education may, on the basis of relevant provisions, give subsidies such as food, lodging, and transportation to vice principals for rule of law serving in schools in remote rural areas and areas with inconvenient transportation.
Local administrative departments for education shall periodically conduct evaluations of the performance of duties by vice presidents for rule of law in that region. Judicial administrative departments shall make the performance of duties by the vice presidents for the rule of law of the dispatched organs an important aspect of implementing the responsibility system of "who enforces the law and popularizes the law", and include it in the content of the assessment of legal popularization work.
Let's take a look at the full text of the "Measures" --
Vice Principal for Rule of Law in Primary and Secondary Schools
Appointment and Management Measures
Article 1: These Measures are formulated on the basis of laws and regulations such as the Education Law, the Law on the Protection of Minors, and the Law on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, so as to improve the governance system for primary and secondary schools, complete mechanisms for protecting students' rights and interests, further standardize the appointment and management of vice principals for the rule of law in primary and secondary schools, and promote the healthy growth of minors.
Article 2: These Measures apply to the appointment and management of vice principals for the rule of law in ordinary primary and secondary schools, secondary vocational schools, special education schools, and specialized schools (hereinafter collectively referred to as schools).
Article 3: "Vice presidents for rule of law" as used in these Measures refers to personnel recommended or appointed by people's courts, people's procuratorates, public security organs, and judicial administrative departments, hired by administrative departments for education or schools, and concurrently serving as vice presidents in schools, assisting in carrying out work such as rule of law education, student protection, safety management, crime prevention, and governance according to law.
Article 4: The administrative departments for education under the State Council, together with the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Justice, are to formulate macro policies for the appointment and management of vice presidents for the rule of law in schools, and to make overall plans to guide local efforts to carry out work such as recommendation, appointment, training, assessment, evaluation, and reward of vice presidents for the rule of law.
The administrative departments for education of local people's governments at the county level or above, together with the people's courts, people's procuratorates, public security organs, and judicial administrative departments, are responsible for the appointment and management of vice presidents for the rule of law in schools in that region.
Where conditions permit, a system of joint meetings on the work of school rule of law vice presidents with the participation of administrative departments for education, people's courts, people's procuratorates, public security organs, and judicial administrative departments may be established, to make overall plans to advance the appointment and management of vice presidents for the rule of law in schools in that region.
Article 5: During the performance of duties, vice presidents for rule of law assist in carrying out the following work:
(1) Carry out rule of law education. Promote the study and publicity of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, participate in the formulation of school rule of law education work plans, assist schools in innovating the content and form of rule of law education, undertake or organize the implementation of no less than 4 hours of rule of law education tasks in the school where they work each year, with rule of law practice education as the mainstay, and increase the pertinence and effectiveness of rule of law education. Carry out rule of law publicity for faculty and staff, and guide and help teachers of ethics and rule of law courses to carry out rule of law education.
(2) Protect the rights and interests of students. Participate in the formulation and implementation of schools' systems for protecting students' rights and interests, participate in student protection committees, student bullying governance, and other such organizations, guide and supervise schools in implementing their duties to protect minors, and protect students' rights and interests in accordance with law.
(3) Prevent juvenile delinquency. Guide schools to conduct targeted crime prevention education for minor students, and strengthen management and education for students with bad behavior.
(4) Participate in safety management. Guide schools to improve safety management systems, coordinate and promote the establishment of school safety zone systems, assist schools in improving safety accident prevention and handling mechanisms, preside over or participate in mediation and consultation on school safety accidents, guide schools to handle safety accident disputes in accordance with law, and stop acts that infringe on the lawful rights and interests of schools, teachers and students.
(5) Carrying out or guiding the implementation of educational punishments. Assist schools, public security organs, and judicial administrative departments in following laws and relevant provisions to admonish or correct students with bad conduct or correctional education. According to the actual situation and needs of the school, participate in the establishment of a student education protection counseling work mechanism, and carry out special counseling and correction for students in need.
(6) Guide governance in accordance with law. Assist the school to establish and improve school rules and discipline, improve various rules and regulations, participate in the review of school rules and school discipline, assist in handling the school's law-related litigation cases, enter the appeal committee, participate in handling teachers' and students' complaints, and assist in strengthening communication with the community, family and relevant aspects of society.
(7) Guide and assist schools in performing other duties provided for by laws, regulations, and rules.
Article 6: People's courts, people's procuratorates, public security organs, and judicial administrative departments (hereinafter referred to as dispatched organs) shall select and recommend in-service staff who meet the following requirements to serve as vice presidents for rule of law:
(1) Good political quality, excellent moral character, upright style, and strong sense of responsibility;
(2) Have relatively rich legal expertise and experience in rule of law practice, and have been engaged in rule of law work for more than three years;
(3) Be physically and mentally healthy, enthusiastic about educational work, understand the laws of education and teaching and the physical and mental characteristics of students, and care for the healthy growth of students;
(4) Have strong language skills, communication skills and organizational and coordination skills.
Retirees who meet the above conditions and are not more than 65 years of age may also be recommended to serve as vice-chancellors for the rule of law for one term.
Article 7: Administrative departments for education shall consult with relevant departments to draft plans for the appointment of vice presidents for the rule of law, and work with dispatching organs to comprehensively consider school needs and work conveniences, consult to determine and make overall arrangements for candidates for vice presidents for rule of law, giving priority to appointing vice presidents for the rule of law in schools in remote areas, rural areas, and weak urban schools.
Article 8: Each school shall have at least 1 vice principal for the rule of law, and schools with a large number of teachers and students and needs may employ 2 to 5 or fewer vice principals for the rule of law.
According to the needs of the work, 1 person can serve as the vice principal of the rule of law in 2 schools at the same time.
Article 9: The administrative departments for education of people's governments at the county level or districted city level may consult with relevant departments to form a rule of law vice principal working team composed of personnel from different dispatched organs to serve schools in the region.
Article 10: Administrative departments for education, in conjunction with dispatched organs, are to establish a pool of vice presidents for the rule of law, recommending qualified personnel to be put into the pool and dynamically adjusting them.
The administrative department of education organizes schools to select and hire vice presidents for the rule of law from the personnel pool on their own initiative or in accordance with unified arrangements on the basis of the needs of their work and with reference to the principle of convenience in the vicinity, and upon consensus of all parties, determine the candidates for appointment.
Article 11: The vice president of the rule of law is to issue a letter of appointment by the school where he or she is hired. The duration of the appointment is generally three years, after which the appointment can be renewed.
Where a school's already hired vice president for the rule of law is inappropriate or unable to continue to perform his duties due to changes in the work of the dispatched organs or other reasons, he shall promptly report it, and the competent departments for education, together with the dispatching organs, shall re-recommend or appoint them within 30 days.
Article 12: Administrative departments for education shall, in conjunction with dispatched organs, draft training plans and plans for vice presidents for the rule of law, and include them in training plans for teachers and principals, and arrange for funds to carry out training for vice principals for rule of law. Training shall include content such as political theory, protection of minors, education laws and policies, mental health education, and school safety management.
Before taking office, the vice president for rule of law shall receive no less than 8 hours of training. During the period of office, participate in the corresponding training according to the actual arrangement.
Article 13: Dispatching organs shall employ necessary measures to ensure that the dispatched vice presidents for the rule of law have the necessary working hours and conditions in the schools where they work, and encourage and support them in performing their duties and responsibilities.
The vice president for rule of law shall actively participate in school work in accordance with these Measures, actively participate in training, and regularly come to school to carry out work. Encourage vice presidents of the rule of law to use information technology to participate in school work.
Article 14: Schools shall include support for the rule of law vice principal's performance of their duties in their overall work plans, proactively briefing the vice principal for rule of law on the school's relevant circumstances, periodically collecting legal service needs from faculty, staff, students, and students' parents, and promptly giving feedback to the vice principal for rule of law, and cooperating with the vice principal for rule of law to do relevant work. Meetings or activities involving vice presidents for rule of law performing their duties shall communicate with the vice presidents for rule of law in advance and notify them to participate.
Schools shall, in light of actual conditions, provide necessary facilitation for vice presidents of rule of law to perform their duties.
The basic information and job responsibilities of the vice president for rule of law shall be announced in the school in an appropriate manner.
Article 15: Dispatch organs and administrative departments for education may, on the basis of relevant provisions, give subsidies such as for food, lodging, transportation, and other such subsidies to rule of law vice principals serving in schools in remote rural areas or areas with inconvenient transportation.
Article 16: Schools shall establish a rule of law vice principal work evaluation system, and make an annual evaluation of the rule of law vice president's work.
When schools conduct evaluations of vice principals for rule of law, they shall listen to the opinions of faculty, staff, students, and students' parents, form objective and fair evaluation results, and report the results to the competent departments for education, and the competent departments for education will feedback the dispatching organs.
Article 17: Dispatch organs shall include the work of serving as vice presidents for the rule of law in the workload of relevant staff, clearly defining it as the content of the assessment, and the work evaluation made by the school and the report of the vice president for the rule of law shall be used as an important basis for evaluating their work, promotion, promotion, and meritorious service awards.
Article 18: Local administrative departments for education shall periodically conduct evaluations of the performance of duties by vice presidents for rule of law in that region, and shall give commendations or awards to vice presidents for rule of law with outstanding work achievements, or jointly give commendations or awards together with the dispatched organs.
Judicial administrative departments shall make the performance of duties by the vice presidents for the rule of law of the dispatched organs an important aspect of implementing the responsibility system of "who enforces the law and popularizes the law", and include it in the content of the assessment of legal popularization work. Dispatching organs and schools that recommend or appoint vice presidents for the rule of law with outstanding achievements in their work shall be used as an important reference for the evaluation of the first and best in the work of popularizing the law.
All levels of administrative departments for education shall, in conjunction with the dispatched organs, give commendations and awards in accordance with relevant provisions to organizations and individuals that have made notable achievements in organizing and carrying out the work of the vice principals for the rule of law in primary and secondary schools.
Article 19: Where schools employ off-campus rule of law counselors from other law enforcement organs, legal education and legal service organizations, and other such units, these Measures are to be implemented with reference.
Where kindergartens employ deputy principals for the rule of law, the appointment and management are to be carried out with reference to these Measures.
Article 20: These Measures take effect on May 1, 2022.
How to promote the implementation of the Measures? Let's take a look at the notification requirements of the Ministry of Education and other five departments -
Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Education and other five departments on the implementation of the "Measures for the Appointment and Management of Vice Principals for the Rule of Law in Primary and Secondary Schools"
The Education Departments (Education Commissions) of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, the High People's Courts, the People's Procuratorates, the Public Security Departments (Bureaus), the Justice Departments (Bureaus), the Education Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the Production and Construction Corps Branches of the Higher People's Court of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the People's Procuratorates of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the Public Security Bureau, and the Justice Bureau:
In December 2021, in accordance with the requirements of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission and with the consent of the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education formulated the Measures for the Appointment and Management of Vice Principals for the Rule of Law in Primary and Secondary Schools (Decree No. 52 of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, hereinafter referred to as the "Measures"), which will come into effect on May 1, 2022. In order to promote the implementation of the Measures, the relevant requirements are hereby notified as follows.
First, strengthen publicity and raise awareness
Education departments, courts, procuratorates, public security organs, judicial administrative departments, etc. in all localities should attach great importance to it, take the initiative to assume, actively act, and refine their responsibilities, and regard the implementation of the "Measures" and the strengthening of the work of the vice principals for the rule of law in primary and secondary schools as an important measure to implement Xi Jinping's rule of law thought and an important way to perform the statutory duty to protect minors. It is necessary to vigorously carry out the study and publicity activities of the "Measures" through various means to ensure that all relevant departments and primary and secondary schools accurately understand the spirit of the "Measures" and accurately grasp the work requirements. It is necessary to take the implementation of the "Measures" as the starting point to promote the improvement of school governance capabilities, strengthen school safety guarantees, and improve the level of school education.
Second, deepen cooperation and form a synergy
All localities should establish and improve coordination mechanisms, form a joint force to deeply promote the work of the vice principals of the rule of law in primary and secondary schools, truly transform the "Measures" into vivid practice of jointly doing a good job, and enhance the scientific and institutionalized level of the work of the vice principals of the rule of law in primary and secondary schools. Actively explore the establishment and implementation of a system of joint meetings on the work of vice presidents of the rule of law in schools with the participation of education departments, courts, procuratorates, public security organs, judicial administrative departments, and so forth, strengthening daily contacts and communications, and making overall plans to advance the appointment and management of vice presidents for the rule of law. Courts, procuratorates, public security organs, judicial administrative departments, and so forth, should complete selection mechanisms, recommending personnel with good political quality, strong professional ability, and enthusiasm for education to serve as vice presidents for the rule of law, creating conditions for them to carry out their work, strengthening safeguards for performing their duties and commendations and rewards, and encouraging vice presidents for the rule of law to perform their duties and fulfill their duties. Education departments should take the initiative to dock with the needs of local primary and secondary school rule of law vice principals, actively work with relevant departments to strengthen appointment management, formulate and implement training plans and plans for rule of law vice principals, innovate training methods, enrich training content, and enhance training effects; Schools should follow the provisions of the "Measures" to provide necessary facilitation for the vice president of the rule of law to perform his duties, establish an effective communication and liaison mechanism and a daily work coordination mechanism, communicate with the vice president of the rule of law in a timely manner, and actively support and cooperate with him in carrying out his work.
Third, strengthen implementation and highlight practical results
All localities should solidly promote the implementation of the "Measures" and make overall plans for the appointment and management of vice presidents for the rule of law in schools in their respective regions. All relevant departments should encourage vice principals of the rule of law to have a deep understanding of the laws of education and teaching, strengthen the responsibility for performing their duties, truly improve their ability and literacy, take the initiative to dock the needs of schools and teachers and students, give full play to the advantages of the work of the dispatched organs and the vice president of the rule of law, and actively promote the solution of the problems faced by primary and secondary schools. It is necessary to take the rule of law vice principal system as an important carrier, give play to the role of all departments in jointly supporting schools, further improve the work system such as the school safety area system, and transform the system into governance results. Through the implementation of the "Measures", the team of vice principals for the rule of law should be built into an important support for promoting schools to improve their governance capabilities and levels, an important force for protecting the legitimate rights and interests of minors and promoting the healthy growth of minors, and an important brand for courts, procuratorates, public security organs, judicial administrative departments and other important brands that strongly support school work and perform statutory duties.
All relevant departments in all localities should earnestly strengthen organizational leadership, continue to promote the implementation of the "Measures", and escort the healthy growth of young students. All localities and schools should promptly summarize the good experiences and good practices in carrying out the work of the rule of law vice principals of primary and secondary schools. To learn about the problems and relevant work suggestions reflected in the publicity and implementation, please submit them to the Ministry of Education (Department of Policies and Regulations) in a timely manner.
General Office of the Ministry of Education
General Office of the Supreme People's Court
General Office of the Supreme People's Procuratorate
General Office of the Ministry of Public Security
Office of the Ministry of Justice
January 15, 2022