The admissions meeting was being held solemnly in the conference room of Tiantang Middle School. Yuan Jingxuan, the director of the admissions office, reviewed last year's admissions work. With the approval of Principal Jia Zhengjing, who was present, he once again expressed his gratitude to all the admissions staff for their hard work last year. He repeatedly emphasized his thanks to everyone present for giving him face over the years and hoped that everyone would continue to support the admissions work.
Principal Jia, upon hearing this, closed his eyes. However, Director Yuan did not notice the expression on his superior's face, whom he usually called "boss." He continued speaking eloquently. Teacher Hou Zheng, sitting next to Director Yuan and having a close relationship with him, kicked the over-fifty-year-old under the table. Director Yuan quickly realized his slip of the tongue. So, while looking at his "boss" with his eyes closed, he said to everyone, "Now, Principal Jia, please give us your strategic deployment for the 2006 admissions work." He then led the applause.
Principal Jia adjusted his expression and began his programmatic speech.
This year, the admissions battle begins. Everyone must carry forward the spirit of daring to fight tough battles. To put it simply, it's about using any means necessary. Last year, when I went down to inspect, I witnessed the arduous work of our admissions teachers. Even after being verbally abused by parents, they continued to work with them until the parents accepted the admissions brochure. This year, you will undoubtedly encounter treatment that most people would find unbearable. Distributing the brochure isn't enough to complete the task. I have many brochures sent by friends, which I sell as waste paper every year. I don't allow any admissions personnel to enter our campus or meet our students. You will also face many closed doors. Everyone must ensure that the brochure reaches the students and parents. I don't care what methods you use; you are responsible for any consequences. I only care about the result: getting students to the school. This concerns everyone's livelihood; you all know what to do without me saying it.
Seeing no reaction from the students, Principal Jia pondered for a moment and then said, "
The promised compensation from last year hasn't been delivered. But don't focus on the money. This year, I can't promise you any conditions. I can only say that if the conditions are good, the school won't treat you unfairly. You are working for yourselves, protecting your own livelihoods." Without students, you'll have no food to eat. Therefore, I hope everyone won't focus on immediate gains.
Still, no one spoke. A few teachers, adept at understanding the leader's intentions, asked a few perfunctory questions. Principal Jia awkwardly answered a few questions and then said, "Now, Director Yuan, please make specific arrangements according to the school's established policy. I hope everyone will cooperate." At this point, the self-important principal added, as if to add a tangential remark, "Last year, some teachers only called each student's parents once and then stopped. This won't work this year..."
Director Yuan understood that everyone was upset. This principal, appointed in a time of crisis, used his extensive social connections to save the school from collapse. The school got a new building, and the student population began to increase. Colleagues, driven by worldly desires, showered the principal with excessive flattery, causing him to become "blinded by greed," abandoning his initial democratic style and adopting a dictatorial approach. He personally handled everything, even directly interfering in the work of homeroom teachers. Students were constantly summoned to his office for talks. On the surface, this principal has a postgraduate degree, but it's a watered-down diploma, bought with money, a common practice in recent years. In reality, this principal is at best a political opportunist. He originally had a secondary school background in physical education, but after starting work, he didn't stay in physical education for long before moving into administration. He served as the vice-principal in charge of logistics for over twenty years. He was very adept at logistics work. It was this background that allowed him to transform this near-bankrupt "Heavenly Middle School." However, he lacked real education and used his outdated educational concepts to manage today's educational activities. Not only teachers, but even students gradually began to disregard him. The principal's final solution was expulsion. Director Yuan, who was in charge of admissions, knew how difficult admissions were these days. He was also very dissatisfied with the principal expelling fifty or sixty students in six months. However, the principal couldn't be offended. Thinking of this, Director Yuan picked up where Principal Jia left off and began to arrange work.
Director Yuan said that this year's admissions policy had changed slightly. Last year's policy of giving 500 yuan kickbacks to elementary school teachers for students admitted through selective admission to junior high, and 300 yuan kickbacks to junior high school teachers for all high school students, remains unchanged. The policy of giving 50 yuan kickbacks to elementary school teachers for students admitted through non-selective admission to junior high has been cancelled. The policy of giving 10 yuan kickbacks per student to elementary school teachers for taking the junior high school entrance exam has also been cancelled. Because of the changes in city policies this year, judging from the current situation, it seems they might be serious about this. However, for many years, it's been all talk and no action. In China, you can't get anything done by just sitting around waiting. But we can't ignore it either; we're not afraid. But the leaders are sensitive and can't stand it. Therefore, this year we need to act quickly. First, we need to use all our connections to infiltrate the schools and distribute the admission brochures to the students. If we can't get in, we need to wait outside the schools at night, waiting for students to finish their evening self-study sessions, and then distribute the brochures to the students or their parents who come to pick them up. We must find ways to get the list of graduates and their phone numbers from the schools we're recruiting from, and be shameless and relentless in our efforts. We need to repeatedly persuade parents and students. "This year, everyone's recruitment targets must surpass last year's." He glanced at the door where Principal Jia had left and said, "You all know how our boss treats those who don't work hard."
Several veteran teachers who had participated in recruitment for several years exchanged wry smiles.
After leaving the meeting room, Teacher Hou Zheng silently walked towards his office. Before the recruitment work began, he used his personal relationship with Director Yuan to request that he not be assigned to recruitment this year. He also objected to the school's unconditional use of teachers' social connections for recruitment. Because according to current values, repeatedly using teachers' personal connections without compensation makes recruitment difficult for teachers. These personal connections have already been negatively impacted.
However, Hou Zheng learned from other sources that Director Yuan and the principal had agreed on a policy of using teachers' personal connections for as long as possible. Director Yuan understood that the principal's term was only four or five years; by the time the teachers realized they were being used, or were unwilling to be used, it would no longer threaten the principal's future. But this was conditional on Director Yuan's personal interests: his interests could not be harmed. The school secretly subsidized Director Yuan's phone expenses and granted him certain privileges. He was allowed to arrange banquets and other events related to recruitment during the admissions period. Principal Jia and Director Yuan's social connections would be reciprocated with gifts from the school. Even ordinary teachers, including him who had close ties with Director Yuan, were exploited.
Two years ago, colleagues faced the risk of unemployment. Furthermore, Principal Jia was new and not yet as domineering as he was now. Everyone worked diligently, both for themselves and for the public good. When Director Yuan went to recruit students, he learned that the vice-principal of Binjiang Middle School knew Hou Zheng, so he included Hou Zheng in the recruitment team.
When Hou Zheng arrived at Binjiang Middle School, he saw his former sweetheart and close friend, Wu Mei. However, she was now in a relationship. Their children were both in middle school, but out of friendship, this former "confidante" still gave Hou Zheng face. However, later, when giving kickbacks to the graduating class teachers at Binjiang Middle School, the school ignored the vice-principal who had acted as a go-between. Afterwards, she called to express some dissatisfaction with the recruitment work at Tiantang Middle School. The implication was that she suspected Hou Zheng of embezzling recruitment kickbacks and using her. She also mentioned on the phone how a director of the academic affairs office at another middle school in the city disrespected recruitment staff. Hou Zheng inquired and discovered that this director was related to Director Yuan and had received a kickback from Tiantang Middle School using public funds. Hou Zheng realized he was now completely humiliated in front of his classmate.
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