More than 100 teachers are mentally ill in Meizhou, Guangdong Province, ycwb.com reported, citing incomplete statistics from the local education and public security department.

Many of them are still working, sparking worry from schools, society and the government, said an anonymous official with the local education department.

Several teachers who suffer from mental illness have been assigned to non-teaching posts at schools instead. "They seem harmless, but we are afraid that they may be easily irritated at class and cause a danger", explained the official, adding that the education departments are working to address the problem.

High pressure, overworking, income gap, family problems are blamed for the teachers' mental illness in the city, said sources.

The underdeveloped mountainous city in east Guangdong attaches great importance to education and a students' test result is an important criterion to evaluate teachers' quality.

(China Daily May 20, 2010)