Due to poor working conditions and low pay, Zhang Xingqiong often considered leaving and taking up work as a migrant laborer. But the villagers had other plans.

"The village head tried to persuade Liao to marry Zhang so that the two could stay," said Dong Kaiping, an official with the Tongjiang county bureau of education.

Villagers then took it upon themselves to persuade the reluctant duo and the tactic worked.

"For the sake of the schoolchildren, we tied the knot in 2002," Zhang said.

They taught Chinese, math, drawing and sports. During the break, they had to prepare lunch for the students.

Read more about Zhang Xingqiong and Liao Zhanfu's story - A lesson in putting children first.