Student Academic Scores Source of Teacher Angst

A week-long psychological examination of 200 teachers conducted by the Shanghai Linzi Psychological Consultant Center revealed 40 percent of participants as having psychological problems, and 5 percent with obvious psychosomatic symptoms.

Maintaining a high student academic score average is a source of great stress to teachers. School authorities draw statistical comparisons on the results of every college entrance examination and daily test, and competition between teachers is fierce. In order to help their students gain optimum academic scores, they spend most of their spare time in school giving extra classes and marking homework. Sometimes suspicion and jealousy occur among teachers.