WUHAN, Sept. 6, 2007 -- Education should be developed as a priority to serve the socialist modernization drive, said a Chinese senior official.

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during his visit to Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Li said efforts should be made to strengthen the training of teachers, and encourage excellent people to work in the educational field.

He called on the public to show more respect to teachers.

He also stressed the ideological education of college students, saying new ways should be tried to enhance the ideological and political education.

"We should sum up the experience in ideological education on college students we have gained since the 16th CPC National Congress and continuously improve ideological education on campus," Li said.