China's Ministry of Education has issued a new guideline to strengthen the physical education workforce in primary and secondary schools and improve students' physical fitness, officials said.

The notice, the first of its kind, aims to address shortages of physical education teachers, recruitment difficulties and the need to enhance professional competencies among educators, according to an official from the ministry's department of teacher affairs.

Under the new rules, full-time physical education teachers will have class limits: no more than five in primary schools, six in middle schools and eight in high schools. Schools are also encouraged to hire full-time or part-time specialists in football, basketball and volleyball through various recruitment methods.

The document sets stricter qualifications for physical education teachers, requiring them to have a degree in physical education. Those without one must hold at least a national second-class athlete certificate. Specialized sports skills will be a key criterion in teacher assessments, it says.

The guideline also encourages hiring outstanding retired athletes and military personnel with teaching qualifications, with a particular focus on recruiting retired football players.

To improve professional competency, the ministry calls for optimizing the National Training Program for physical education teachers, with an emphasis on soccer, basketball, volleyball and traditional Chinese sports.

Training programs should be tailored to teachers' capabilities and education levels. Additionally, teachers will be expected to improve their digital literacy and integrate AI technologies into their instruction.

The document also outlines measures to ensure physical education teachers receive equal treatment in evaluations, benefits and promotions compared to other subjects. After-class training, extracurricular activities and coaching for sports competitions will be included in their workload, and students' physical health and competition results will be factored into teacher performance bonuses.

Each county should have at least one full-time coach dedicated to developing high-level school sports clubs and teams, the notice states.

Xu Nuo contributed to this story.