Teacher detained for allegedly molesting students

Police have detained a primary school teacher for allegedly molesting female students in Jiahe County, Hunan Province, the local government told Xinhua on Tuesday.

So far, 12 girls, all second graders at the Puman Central Primary School, have told police that their math teacher, Zeng Xingming, sexually assaulted them, according to an official with the county government's publicity office, who gave his surname as Yin.

"So far, Zeng has confessed to molesting five girls, and the investigation will carry on," he said.

Lei Guangmin has been suspended as the school's headmaster, said Yin.

A second grader's father called his daughter's head teacher on May 21, accusing Zeng of committing indecent acts against his daughter. The head teacher later received other similar reports.

"Zeng was immediately asked to take a suspension. The school apologized to the victims and their families, and other teachers were sent to comfort the girls," said Yin.

Local education authorities have launched ethics training courses for all teachers.

Cases of sexual abuse in schools have been occurring frequently in China. A primary school headmaster and a government employee in Wanning City, Hainan Province, were detained by police on May 14 for sexually assaulting six female students.