Teachers supervising college entrance exams in earthquake-hit Sichuan Province have been ordered to be the last person to leave a classroom if an aftershock strikes during the exam, the provincial education department has announced, China News Service reported today.

The province will have more than 420,000 high school graduates take this year's exam.

Experts will check all exam sites and set up emergency exits for evacuation to ensure safety.

The six worst-hit areas of Sichuan, which include Chengdu, Deyang and Mianyang, will have the 2008 entrance exams delayed indefinitely.

The Ministry of Education has given the province permission to hold the exam on its own this year because of the disaster, which killed almost 70,000 people in the mountainous province.

Fan Meizhong, a teacher in Sichuan, admitted leaving pupils behind as he fled during the earthquake. He became known as "Runner Fan." A report said he has since been suspended.

"I ran as fast as I could, almost on all fours, to the football field. I found myself the first person there. I didn't see any of my students," Fan said in the report. When his students finally found their way to the playground, they asked him: "Teacher, why didn't you bring us out?''

He answered: "I'm not the sort of person who is ready to sacrifice his life. I care only about my own life. Don't you know that? One night, I also ran quickly away from a fire emergency!''

He later told his students: "Although I strive for freedom and fairness, I will not sacrifice myself to help others. At this critical time of life and death, I can only think about sacrificing myself for my daughter. I will not consider saving anyone else, not even my mother. I am not strong enough to carry an adult out of danger.''

(Shanghai Daily June 6, 2008)