Chinese school gives single teachers 'love leave'

Dinglan Experimental Middle School in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China has just issued a regulation allowing single and childless teachers to use two days off per month, local newspaperDushi Kuaibaoreported on January 16. Each session, or half a day, is called "loving leave," similar to "sick leave."

The benefit, announced to all staff on Tuesday, is part of a new policy that includes “family leave” and “well-being leave.” The school’s goal is to ease the pressure on teachers, who are overwhelmed with work.

Young single teachers and married teachers without children can apply for leave, as long as it does not affect teaching. Based on each specific case, the school will consider and approve.

About 40% of the school's teachers are unmarried. According to Principal Zhao, the "romantic leave" scheme is mainly for this group.

"Normally, our teaching staff work very hard. I hope they will take advantage of the two breaks a month to relax, enjoy life, experience the beauty of the world around them and spend time with their families. I believe students can only be happy when teachers are happy," Zhao said.

School teachers are entitled to two "family leave" times a month if they have at least one child under 18. Meanwhile, teachers with children over 18 are entitled to two "happy leave" times a month.

"Teachers really like this leave policy. When children are sick, they need adults to be there to take care of them," the principal shared.

Ye Jingqi, a single science teacher, said that love was not her top priority when she took her “love leave.” Normally, she spends her entire workday teaching, grading homework, and preparing lesson plans. Therefore, she can use her leave benefits to plan better for her students.

"However, if my boyfriend is also free at that time, we can go to the library or bookstore together. Or I will use that time to visit my parents," she said.

Chen Qing and her husband are both teachers at the school, so they were happy to receive the notice. "I teach science and my husband teaches math. We are both busy, but neither of us has a schedule to teach on Thursday afternoons. With the new policy, we can spend time together and take care of errands that normally have to wait until the weekend," Chen shared.

The school's policy is now being warmly welcomed by internet users.