BEIJING — China has launched a program to establish chief teachers at middle schools and primary schools in rural areas in central and western China, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Education on April 9.

The program is to cultivate a rank of leading talent in basic education in those areas, the ministry said.

The positions will be open to all county-level middle school and primary school teachers.

Chief teachers will be given 3-year contracts and will be encouraged to further explore and innovate their educational concepts and methods, in order to lift the quality of education in central and western rural areas, according to the circular.

The provinces of Anhui, Henan, Shaanxi and Gansu will become the pilot regions of the program this year, and each of them will pick five cities or counties with a relatively poorer economy to carry out the program.

Based on the experience drawn from these pilot regions, the program will be further launched in central and western Chinese provinces in the next phase, the circular reads.