zhi yueying has taught for 41 years at a primary school in zaoxia township of fengxin county, east china's jiangxi province. in 1980, 19-year-old zhi came to the town and became a rural teacher. she has been asked many times why would she stick to the post for so many years. zhi always told them it was because the students here needed her.
china plans to recruit 84,330 college graduates as teachers in rural primary and middle schools in 2021 to promote rural vitalization.
the recruitment is mainly for the once-impoverished areas and those inhabited by ethnic minorities to consolidate poverty reduction results, according to a notice issued by the ministries of education and finance on carrying out rural special-post teacher recruitment program this year.
undated file photo shows rural teacher zhi yueying posing with her students.
zhi yueying escorts students on the way home in zaoxia township of fengxin county, east china's jiangxi province, sept. 2, 2021. (xinhua/peng zhaozhi)
zhi yueying teaches students at a school in zaoxia township of fengxin county, east china's jiangxi province, sept. 2, 2021. (xinhua/peng zhaozhi)
zhi yueying chats with a parent of her student after school in zaoxia township of fengxin county, east china's jiangxi province, sept. 2, 2021. (xinhua/peng zhaozhi)
zhi yueying teaches students at a school in zaoxia township of fengxin county, east china's jiangxi province, sept. 2, 2021. (xinhua/peng zhaozhi)
