BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong has called for more efforts to support rural teachers and improve the rural education.

Liu met with excellent and veteran teachers working in rural areas on Wednesday, before national Teachers' Day on Sept. 10.

The quality of rural education is an important index for assessing national education, and is of great significance to social fairness and economic development, Liu said.

China has more than 15 million teachers teaching 260 million students. Among them, more than 3 million work in remote rural areas, making important contributions to rural children's growth and the balanced development of national education, according to Liu.

Currently 32 percent of China's junior high schools, 62 percent of primary schools and 34 percent of kindergartens are in the countryside.

She asked local governments to implement various policies for rural teachers, improve training and increase their incomes.

She also encouraged teachers to devote themselves to their profession and nurture more talent to carry on the socialist cause.