Voluntary teachers sent to marginal areas work for one-to-three-year tenure in most cases. Though it is `volunteer' work, the teacher is in fact paid by the school, government organ, community or unit he or she originally works for in Shanghai during the period. The salary and welfare remains unchanged. In addition, the municipal government extends an allowance to voluntary teachers, as encouragement and reward for their contribution to education of the nation as a whole.
During the period of voluntary teaching, teachers are under the supervision of the original unit and the school where they went to teach. The later directly supervises voluntary teachers work, and arranges the position based on the teachers' performance and specialization.