Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with a freshman at Beijing Normal University in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 9, 2007. Premier Wen visited teacher-training freshmen who are offered free education and held discussions about teacher training with them at Beijing Normal University on Sept. 9. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao underlined the importance of the nation's education undertaking during a visit to Beijing Normal University on the eve of China's 23rd Teacher's Day.

Wen, accompanied by State Councilor Chen Zhili, attended a colloquium on Sunday with hundreds of students and faculties of the university.

"The practice to provide free education to normal major students in six universities has been expected to make the society pay more respect to teachers and their work," the premier said.

Wen also expressed his greeting to the faculties and the students who will become teachers after graduation before China's Teacher's Day which falls on Sept. 10.

China's Ministry of Education has started a practice to exempt tuition fees of normal major students in six universities under direct administration of the ministry in the country since autumn semester started in September.

The practice taken in Beijing Normal University, East China Normal University, Northeast Normal University, Huazhong Normal University, Shaanxi Normal University and Southwest University has been regarded as a measure to encourage more youth to devote themselves to education.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C Front) holds discussions about teacher training with teacher-training freshmen at Beijing Normal University in Beijing, capital of China, on Sept. 9, 2007. Premier Wen visited teacher-training freshmen who are offered free education and held discussions with them at Beijing Normal University on Sept. 9. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

"Although our country has made great economic and social progress in recent years, the development has not been even," Wen told the students, "we must improve education development in rural areas a lot so that every child can go to school."

"The doors of universities should be open to everyone including children from poor families," Wen said, noting that equal education opportunities were part of social equity.

Wen encouraged the normal students coming from underdeveloped regions of the country to serve their hometowns after graduation to cultivate more children who could build up the regions better if received good education.

The premier also told the students and teachers at present that he believed education is the most sublime undertaking of the mankind and teacher is the most glary vocation under the sun. 

Editor: Yan