A 40,000-yuan ($6,000) reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the killers of a local headmaster, authorities in Lianjiang, Guangdong province, said yesterday.

Huang Zhaoluan, 43, the principal of Lianjiang Middle School and a vice-chairman of the Lianjiang committee of the People's Political Consultative Conference, was attacked by three youths at about 6:24 am on Monday, just 100 m from his home, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

He died in hospital later the same day from the effects of multiple stab wounds.

A Lianjiang police spokeswoman said the case is being investigated, but that officers have yet to make any arrests.

On Tuesday, Xu Shun, Lianjiang's Party secretary, told local officials: "We will offer rewards of between 30,000 and 40,000 yuan to anyone who provides us with information that leads to the capture of the killers."

A large-scale campaign will be launched soon to crack down on crime, he said, and 3 million yuan will be added to the police budget this year to finance more rewards.

Huang was well known in Lianjiang for his dedication to education. Last year, he was honored with inclusion on a list of the top 100 headmasters in China.

Liu Fuchao, acting headmaster of Lianjiang Middle School, said yesterday: "Huang was responsible for many changes within the school, including the development of new wage and promotion systems for teachers."

For example, he insisted all teachers go through a public examination and interview process before being chosen for promotion, Liu said.

Huang Zhaoyi, Huang Zhaoluan's younger brother, told Guangzhou-based Information Times News that the attack might have been carried out or orchestrated by someone who was upset by the changes to the education policy.

One of Huang's neighbors was quoted by the Guangzhou Evening News yesterday as saying Huang could not have been murdered for money, as his attackers did not take his wallet or mobile phone.

Huang Zhaoyi said his brother's wife and the couple's twin teenage daughters were devastated by the murder.

(China Daily October 23, 2008)