Abstract: Teacher training in frontier townships has long been plagued by the mismatch between external resources and local conditions, as well as the limited training capacity of central schools. Based on field research conducted in six schools across three counties in Yunnan Province, this study employs grounded theory to construct a model of an endogenous training system. The study found that the current characteristics of exogenous supply—namely, a focus on external training, county-level dominance, and the separation of research and training—combined with the triple challenges faced by townships—physical constraints, psychological imbalance, and institutional gaps—have collectively led to the dilemma of “external training leading to internal waste.” The key to restructuring the system lies in the synergistic integration of two pathways: “institutional embedding” and “ecological adaptation.” This is achieved by providing safeguards through institutional designs for “training governance” and by grounding the system in local contexts through the localization of “system elements” and the flexible design of “operational mechanisms.” Consequently, township central schools can transform from passive end-users into active governance hubs, and teachers can evolve from trainees into reflective practitioners and knowledge creators. This model provides a theoretical framework and practical direction for resolving the challenges of teacher training in frontier regions and improving the support system for rural teacher development.

Key words: Township central schools, teacher training, endogenous system, localized development, endogenous growth