BEIJING -- The Chinese government plans to hire 7,000 retired teachers to work in compulsory education schools in the country's rural areas this year, said a statement jointly released by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance.

This recruitment drive is part of an action plan the government launched in 2018 to enhance the quality of rural education by employing retired educators to teach in rural areas.

According to the statement, the drive will be aimed mainly at retired principals, teaching research staff and experienced teachers aged up to 65.

Teaching professionals recruited under the plan will work at county, town and village schools located in places that had been lifted out of poverty, underdeveloped ethnic counties, border regions and other areas that lack sufficient education resources.