Teachers in Donghu district in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province are taking an exam on Tuesday, August 26, 2008. [Photo: cnhubei.com]

Nearly 1,000 teachers in the Donghu district of Wuhan, Hubei Province, took part in an exam on Tuesday, the first day of school after the summer holiday.

"The exam will test the teachers on two areas, one is the curriculums they teach and the other is their working ethics," said Peng Qi, head of the education bureau of Donghu district.

Nine hundred and forty eight teachers in elementary and junior high schools in the district took the exam, the local Chutian Metropolis Daily reported.

"I probably will score more than 90 out of 100," Xu Zhijian, a fourth grade math teacher estimated after the exam. He said teachers were informed of the exam in June so they had enough time to prepare. "The exam made me realize I still have much to learn. Being a teacher means learning is a lifelong pursuit," he added.

The scores will not be made public. The exam is designed to help teachers discover their weak points, Peng explained.

While most parents applauded the implementation of this test, some suggested that the education bureau should publicize the final scores.

"The scores will help parents evaluate the professional and ethical efficiency of the teachers and can also help the teachers to perfect themselves," Huang Min, a parent, was quoted as saying.

(CRI August 28, 2008)