BETTER PROTECTION: With the implementation of a new regulation, schools in Hebei Province will act in a more responsible way for students' growth (NIE JIANJIANG)

Timely Reform

The State Administration of Taxation recently unveiled changes to the individual income tax, announcing that transportation, telecom, gas and in-kind allowances would all be included in the tax range. This provides far fewer loopholes for organizations to avoid paying taxes.

It seems that everyone is influenced by the change. But only a few workers at state-owned enterprises (SOEs), public service units and government departments can get these allowances.

Most people outside the abovementioned circles, such as migrant workers and employees at small or medium-sized enterprises, are entitled to such allowances, yet most of them don't receive them. Some don't even have basic social security guarantees.

Therefore the seemingly big change in the taxation policy has only affected a relatively small percentage of people. In some SOEs and government departments, their salaries are not high on paper, yet they enjoy various kinds of allowances. By expanding the tax range, people who enjoy special benefits will pay their due.

Oriental Morning Post

Salary Myth

Education reform in Jiaxian County, central China's Henan Province, has exposed 252 teachers who furnished false information about their age to get relatively high payment after early retirement. Such people add to the already high expenditures on administrations.

Earlier media reports revealed that a large number of officials in some local government offices retired at will while continuing to receive regular salaries. Strange still, some four-year-old children and imprisoned corrupt officials were also paid salaries. That's why it came as no surprise when 252 teachers in Jiaxian County were found to have provided false proof of their age so that they could retire early and still get high pay.

Some of the guilty have struck deals behind closed doors, while others, like the 252 teachers, have been swindling government money by furnishing false personal information.

According to an official with the Jiaxian Education Bureau, the county has about 5,000 teachers, 800 more than needed, and the county government has to bear the load of paying their salaries. This is said to be a financial "compromise" for streamlining educational institutions.

But figures released on the Jiaxian government website show that 7,345, not 5,000, teachers are employed in the county's schools. So how many teachers are there, 5,000 or 7,345? Is it because the retired are not counted?

Or do latent rules play a role in such manipulations? It is difficult to answer these questions. The story shows why China's administrative expenditures are so high. Apart from paying for expensive entertainment, lavish trips and luxury cars, public funds are also flowing into the pockets of fraudsters.

Qilu Evening News

Car Corruption

Before the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, the municipal government of Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, issued a notice. According to it, except for a small number of cars used by officials who were on duty during the eight-day holidays, government vehicles were banned from the roads.

Effective measures to prevent and curb corruption are particularly necessary during big holidays, because many corruption cases have been found happening in off-work days. To "freeze" government cars for private use during official holidays is undoubtedly a good practice. This shows the government's commitment to fighting corruption.

However, the official vehicle ban in Kunming is only a temporary measure. What we need is a solid anti-corruption system that forbids private use of government cars during all festivals and holidays. More importantly, there must be a strong supervisory mechanism to ensure the effective implementation of this system. This will be much more helpful than sporadic and temporary restrictive measures.

Xinmin Evening News

Shield for Students

North China's Hebei Province will soon put into practice a regulation that forbids schools from forcing students who have broken school rules to withdraw or transfer to other schools, or to expel the students. Schools are only allowed to criticize and give some instruction to correct the students' behavior.

This regulation is undoubtedly a shield to protect students against arbitrary school decisions that are unfavorable to them.

As for those students who have broken school rules, no matter what deficiencies they might have, schools must first try to correct their mistakes and help them out. Schools have the responsibility to provide students with a good environment for growth, and under no circumstances should they drive students out of school. A student expelled from school may slip into depression for the rest of his life, which is bad for students' families as well as society as a whole. Therefore, by no means should schools choose student expulsion as a solution.

Through legislation, Hebei Province is spreading an umbrella over students, thus legally ensuring their right to education.

Yanzhao Metropolis Daily