A secondary school teacher in east China's Anhui Province was fired in connection with the death of a student who had fought with a classmate in class, said the local educational authority on Wednesday.

Yang Jinggui was a teacher at Wudian Secondary School in Changfeng County. At about 10:00 a.m. on June 12, two students, Chen Kang and Yang Tao, began quarrelling about seats in his class. Their quarrel escalated into a fight which lasted about a minute.

The teacher said, "Since you are energetic, go to fight on the playground after class." Then other students separated them. Yang Tao went back to his seat but looked very weak.

Yang went to a nearby clinic under the escort of three students. He was later sent to the No.1 people's hospital in the provincial capital Hefei.

He died later in hospital, at the age of 14.

Police said Yang's death was not directly caused by violence. An investigation into the death is under way.

The local education authority said Yang Jinggui should bear responsibility for the death because he failed to maintain class order and stop the fight in time. He was also accused of showing no concern and care for his student.

Yang Jinggui was required to compensate the victim's family 100,000 yuan (about 14,285 U.S. dollars). The school headmaster Wan Qihu was also dismissed from his post.

(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2008)