The head of a high school in Hainan Province has been suspended from his post after at least two whistle-blowers said that he has been holding banquets under the disguise of "Principal Day" for years to collect money from attendees.

Bayi High School's president Cen Qihe is said by the whistle-blowers to have set December 17 as Principal Day, when he spends public funds to pay for a banquet to which teachers, leaders and school project contractors are invited - so Cen can collect red envelopes for himself.

Cen is also accused of arranging for 11 of his relatives to work at the school and illegally obtaining money from contractors of school projects.

Another whistle-blower further charges that Cen has a mistress, who he buys things for using school funds.

Party chief of the school Zhou Qingrong said that Cen holds the annual banquets and confirmed that 11 of his relatives work at the school.

But deputy head of Danzhou's education authority Xu Ruoping said there is no proof that Cen spent school funds on the woman he is accused of having an affair with.

The case remains under investigation.

Xinhua