Qing Yao

Chapter 79 My lord, the situation is a bit of a mess.

Professor Zhao understands people's hearts.

Yes, it's true that he's a poor professor. You bunch of scholars can look down on him, but you're capable of looking down on money too!

If you value money, then you have to admit that I am a professor in name and in fact.

The best principal in the world!

Instead of resorting to tricks like "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" to establish so-called authority and creating a one-man show at the academy, Zhao An felt that simply giving out money would be more effective.

You, as a teacher, originally earned 5,000 yuan a month. Well, now that I'm the principal, I've raised it to 7,500 yuan. Do you think I'm a good or bad principal?

Do you support me or not?
The answer is definitely yes!

Only a fool would turn down money.

The effect was immediate; the entire academy didn't discuss anything else that day, only praising Professor Zhao.

Even Li Xiucai, who used to find Zhao An utterly distasteful, nodded to his colleague, a rare occurrence: "This Zhao Youlu is actually a decent person."

Upon hearing this, the colleague, who was excited about receiving a 50% raise, immediately and seriously corrected Li Xiucai: "What Zhao Youlu? It's Professor Zhao, Lord Zhao!"

The complete reversal of public opinion and personal image is cause for celebration, but Zhao An is in big trouble.

Ma Xuezheng came to ask the principal with a worried look on his face, "What should we do about this money?"
You've been very open and honest, and the people below are happy, but the question is, who's going to clean up this mess?

Where will the money come from, Principal?

"The salaries of the school officials were received from the government treasury, while the monthly allowances for teachers and other staff were directly allocated by the prefectural school."

Even a clever housewife can't cook without rice. Ma Xuezheng told the principal that the academy currently employs 38 teachers, 15 logistics support staff, 20 security personnel, 5 "bus drivers", 17 sanitation workers, and 6 other errand runners.

The salaries of these 101 people were not received from the provincial treasury but were paid by the prefectural school itself. In addition to a fixed amount of education funding from the provincial education administration, the prefectural school would also receive a sum of money from the prefectural government each year, totaling about four thousand taels of silver.

Besides the four thousand taels, the school's fixed income came from the rent from the several hundred acres of public land allocated by the prefecture, as well as from scattered donations from gentry.

All income combined amounts to a maximum of ten thousand taels per year.

However, expenses have increased.

First, there's the gentlemen's salary.

Yangzhou was the wealthiest place in the Qing Dynasty, and its literary culture was relatively strong. Therefore, the salaries of teachers in Yangzhou were much higher than in other places. If a teacher worked as a private tutor outside the city, his annual income would be at least thirty taels of silver, including tuition (basic salary), meals (food allowance), and holiday gifts (gifts from parents).

Although teaching at the prefectural school was more respectable than working outside, it was less free because one was "under supervision." Therefore, in order to attract talent to teach, the salaries at the prefectural school were basically doubled.

In other words, the average annual salary of a teacher at Yangzhou Prefectural School is sixty taels of silver, and the annual salary for 38 teachers is more than two thousand taels of silver.

The salaries of the remaining staff are roughly the same, and with other expenses of the prefectural school, it would take at least 15,000 taels a year to cover the costs.

Don't ask why there are so many other expenses; it's pointless to ask.

The entertainment expenses alone amount to more than two thousand taels a year.

The academy currently has only three thousand taels in its accounts, and owes more than five thousand taels outside, resulting in a deficit of more than one thousand taels. Instead of finding a way to cover the deficit, the newly appointed principal has decided to raise the salaries of all faculty and staff at a much higher rate, which will increase expenses by nearly three thousand taels per year. What is Ma Xuezheng, who is in charge of faculty, staff, personnel, and finance, supposed to do?
If we don't address this issue now, the consequences could be severe if we can't come up with the money to fulfill the principal's promise.

"This is indeed a big problem; if it's not solved, it could easily lead to more problems."

Ma Xuezheng's report drew Zhao An's attention, but instead of offering a solution, he inquired about the subsidies the imperial court offered to students, such as subsidies for outstanding students and subsidies for impoverished students.

"."

Ma Xuezheng frowned slightly, thinking that the principal was planning to cut student subsidies, something that would make people talk behind his back.

Helplessly, he said that the imperial court did have relevant subsidy policies, and the quotas were fixed: forty for prefectural schools, thirty for state schools, and twenty for county schools.

Each person receives six dou of rice per month, which is equivalent to four taels of silver per year.

The academy only receives a total of 160 taels of silver in subsidies. Principal, how much do you think is appropriate to deduct?
Zhao An was also greatly disappointed. 160 taels was barely enough to fill anyone's teeth; there was no way to save that much.

Once the words are spoken, there's no going back.

Unable to use his own money to fill this huge hole, he asked Ma Xuezheng if he had any good ideas, and if so, to tell him.

If this is helpful, the principal will reward you handsomely.

Does Ma Xuezheng have a way of coming to you to complain?
Looking at the smaller eyes with big eyes.

"It's my fault for not understanding the specific situation of the prefectural school beforehand, and not knowing that the accounts were in such a difficult state. I meant well, but it seems that my good intentions have now turned out to be a bit of a disaster, hmm?"

Thinking of something, Zhao An quickly looked at Ma Xuezheng and asked if the number of students in the prefectural school was fixed.

What does that mean? It means they want to expand enrollment.

If the number of places in the prefectural school is not fixed, then we should find a way to increase enrollment.

By recruiting students from the surrounding prefectures and counties to study in the prefecture, a portion of the funding problem could be solved by collecting tuition fees.

The sign indicating that it's a key government-affiliated area is quite enticing.

However, they were told that the number of students in the prefectural school was fixed, and the province did not allow the prefectural school to recruit students from the county schools below it, because the local officials would not agree.

You've lured away all my good students, what am I going to do about my year-end teaching evaluation?
What you want isn't the best students in the county, but the future of the county!
"That's it,"

Zhao An was in a dilemma. If expanding enrollment was not an option, he really needed to think about how to solve the very real problem of lacking funds.

Hey!
If the number of students cannot be increased, what about those who can become students in the imperial academy?
As a result, the scholar informed him that the enrollment of students was also not allowed to be expanded, for the same reason as that of students.

Local protectionism in the "education system" strictly prohibits the outflow of outstanding students!

Unless you, Principal Zhao, can get things done with the provincial education commissioner and the prefects and magistrates below, don't even think about it.

"oh,"

Zhao An looked thoughtful, his nimble right index finger tapping lightly on the table. That was the gist of the matter; he had gotten himself into this mess on a whim, and there was no reason for him to shift the blame.

We must find a solution, otherwise we will lose all our prestige.

Just like the clever Ikkyu tapping away, a flash of inspiration suddenly appeared in Zhao An's mind. Then, he slammed his right fist on the table and said, "There is always a way to work things out. The court does not allow the prefectural school to enroll students from other schools, but it does not say that students from other schools cannot come to the prefectural school to study."

"Borrowed to study?"

Ma Xuezheng looked puzzled: What do you mean?
(End of this chapter)