A 17-year-old student was sentenced to life in prison for the fatal stabbing of a teacher last year in north China's Shanxi Province, a local court announced Wednesday.

The student, identified only by his surname of Li, was dissatisfied with the work of head teacher Hao Xudong, according to evidence heard by the Intermediate People's Court of Shuozhou City during the initial trial.

The court was told that on Oct. 4, Li, a student at the No. 2 Middle School of Shuozhou City, repeatedly stabbed Hao with a knife in a classroom. Hao died of blood loss.

Li's father was ordered to pay more than 130,000 yuan (19,000 U.S. dollars) as compensation to the deceased teacher's parents.

Both sides have appealed to the Higher People's Court of Shanxi Province.

Under China's criminal laws, people convicted of premeditated murder face sentences that can range from more than 10 years in prison to life terms or the death penalty.

Li was spared the death sentence because he is a minor, the intermediate court said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2009)