tidu xuezheng 提督學政, provincial education commissioner

Provincial educational commissioners (tidu xuezheng 提督學政) were during the Qing period 清 (1644-1911) the highest officials responsible for the educational system of a province. The post did already exist during the Ming period 明 (1368-1644), but was more systematically used by the Qing. From 1726 on the government usually appointed an education intendant (tidu xuedao 提督學道) in each province, with the full title qinming tidu xuezheng 欽命提督學政, short tidu xuezheng 提督學政 or xuezheng 學政, also called education-supervising commissioner (duxue shizhe 督學使者, xuezhengshi 學政使). The commissioner was supported by mentors from the Ministry of Rites (dazongshi 大宗師) or education intendants (xuetai 學臺). They supervised all official schools of the province and the education of Confucian students (ru shenyuan 儒生員), their conduct, as well as the education of the local population in general, cultural relics, and scholarship.

During the Ming period provincial education commissioners had been selected from among regular metropolitan graduates (jinshi chushen 進士出身). They operated independently from the provincial administration, and reported directly to the Ministry of Rites (libu 禮部). Yet judicial matters were handed over to the provincial authorities for judgment. Commissioners were appointed for three-years' terms. In larger provinces the office was was taken over by officials of rank 4, but in smaller ones by junior compilers (bianxiu 編修) of the Hanlin Academy 翰林院.

During the Qing period, educations commissioners operated on a temporary basis (qinchai 欽差) and had in fact the same status as governors (xunfu 巡撫) or governors-general (zongdu 總督). It was allowed for provincial education commissioners to investigate issues on lower levels of administration. But the commissioners themselves were controlled by the governors, who had to submit a report about the commissioner's performance. In 1906 the office was renamed tixueshi 提學使 and was subordinated to the provincial governors. It was abolished in 1912.