Wen pledges to improve welfare of rural teachers

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Premier Wen Jiabao promised to spend more resources in rural education and improve teachers' welfare in a statement released from the State Council general office on Thursday.

Wen made the remarks during his visit to a middle school in north Hebei Province late last month, the statement said.

Efforts will be made to close the income gap between rural and urban school teachers while working to ensure that poverty will force no child to drop out of school, the premier said while meeting a group of local teachers.

To improve children's health in less developed regions, the central government will offer financial assistance to primary and middle schools so they can provide better food for students, he said.

In richer areas, rural schools are encouraged to offer bus services to bolster children's safety, he said.

In addition, Wen promised to increase teachers' salaries and ensure that the average salary keeps up with the level of government officials.

The central government will also encourage the construction of affordable housing projects especially for teachers, he said.