China will launch a teaching resource network on Sept. 8 to offer long-distance training for teachers nationwide, sources with the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) said in Beijing Thursday.

Guan Peijun, an MOE official in charge of teaching staff, said at a press conference that China will put the teaching staff of normal schools, teaching materials of radio and television schools, and teaching resources on the Internet together into the network, which will give full play to remote teaching.

Teachers throughout China can share good teaching materials via the website and channels either online or on TV, and those in rural areas may also study for higher academic degrees or professional training.

Guan said China will further reform of teachers' qualification tests and approval and offer master's degree programs through the remote teaching program.

He pointed out the academic degrees of Chinese primary and middle school teachers were still at a low level. Last year's statistics showed Chinese teachers at primary schools, junior high schools and senior high schools totaled 5.78, 3.43 and 0.95 million, respectively.
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(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2003)