A primary school in Dandong of Northeastern China¡¯s Liaoning Province has suspended classes as of last Monday, since their teachers are busy getting divorced to keep their jobs, the Beijing News reported.

Some 40 teachers have signed divorce papers with their spouses before September 6, according to a teacher at the Tongxing Center Primary School in the Zhenan District.

The divorcing rush came after the district¡¯s education bureau issued a notice, saying that local authorities were going to cut the number of teachers at primary and middle schools. However, those who are divorced or widowed with children to support would be exempted from the job cut, the notice said.

The Tongxing Center Primary School will have to dismiss 11 teachers, according to the document.

¡°Every teacher fears losing her/his job because of the present high-pressure job market, though they don¡¯t want to divorce,¡± said a male teacher at the school.

The school headmaster tried to persuade these teachers to remarry, but it hasn¡¯t worked.

Zhenan District Education Bureau Director Zhao said the policy is carried out in the spirit of creating a superior education department.

Zhao said some teachers took advantage of the fact that there is not an exact time limitation for divorce in the document. A special investigative group established by the Zhenan District Education Bureau is designated to seek out fake divorces.