Sichuan authorities apologize after teachers publicly shamed for low student scores

Local authorities in Leiba County, Sichuan Province, have issued an apology following a public controversy involving the humiliation of educators. During an internal meeting organized by the Leiba County Education Bureau in late August, dozens of primary and secondary school teachers were called onto a stage to be photographed under a large screen displaying the words ‘chi ru’, which translates to ‘shame’ or ‘humiliation’.

The display was used to publicly criticize low student academic performance. More than 20 primary school teachers were photographed in front of a screen showing median student exam scores below 30/100, while approximately 20 secondary school teachers were similarly singled out for students averaging below 15/100.

Images of the event went viral on social media, garnering over 100 million views and sparking widespread public outrage. Critics online have condemned the local government's actions, questioning the respect shown to educators and calling for the resignation of those responsible.