Photo: IC

An elementary school principal in Northeast China's Liaoning Province was arrested for allegedly raping and sexually abusing female students.  

The publicity department of Suizhong county, Liaoning announced on Tuesday that the principal of Shuikou village elementary school surnamed Wang was arrested for allegedly raping and sexually abusing female students at the school, and another principal surnamed Huang from Gaotai town central elementary school was dismissed for failing to report Wang's case to authorities, The Beijing News reported. 

A student surnamed Zhao from Shuikou village elementary school, led by her mom, reported to the local police on May 31 that Wang raped her for three times in the school's computer room and Wang's home from March to November 2018.

Zhao was so scared that she did not tell the police at the beginning, The Beijing News said.

Later the same day, another four students accompanied by their parents claimed they were also sexually abused by Wang.

Wang was detained on May 31 and transferred to prosecutors on July 1. The case is undergoing further investigation. 

Wang was born in 1969 and started working as a teacher at Gaotai town central elementary school in 1989. He then served as the principal of Shuikou village elementary school from 1991, The Beijing News said.

Protecting minors from abuse at school has been a priority after a series of child abuse and sexual harassment cases in school that shocked Chinese society.  

In November, China's Ministry of Education issued a new code of conduct for teachers which bans any teacher confirmed to have abused, molested or sexually harassed students from teaching in China.