Five kids are seen holding signposts to celebrate daughter of the kindergarten head for achieving high gaokao scores. [West China Metropolis Daily]

The head of a kindergarten in Ziyang, Sichuan Province sparked controversy on Thursday after five kids were seen holding signposts in celebration of her daughter's high gaokao scores, China's national college entrance exam, West China Metropolis Daily reported.

The youngest daughter of the kindergarten head earned 630 points, 98 points more than the minimum score required for Sichuan students to qualify for a spot at one of China's key universities, the paper said. The student lived away from family in Mianyang, another city in the province, and had worked hard to achieve such good results, according to the kindergarten head, named "Shuhan" on the signs.

She said that although the arrangement was indeed made by the kindergarten, it had been proposed by some parents and that general approval was given beforehand. The activity was meant to encourage kids to learn from her daughter as a role model as well as work to promote the kindergarten, it was added.

A parent who took photos of the scene and sent them to the newspaper said he arrived at 4.25 p.m. on Thursday and saw children holding the signs, and they were still standing there 10 minutes later on his departure. He said he saw one of the children appear so tired he could not stand any longer and was squatting.

The mother of another child who participated in the activity said she saw her kid standing in the street sweating profusely.

Another parent said the kindergarten provided no information about the activity in advance, nor did there seem to be any evidence that parents had initiated the idea.

The education authority in Ziyang said it was inappropriate for the kindergarten to organize such an activity and investigations would be conducted on the matter.

Peng Huamin, a deputy dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Nanjing University, said kindergarten kids needed a well-rounded education and there was little benefit to them in raising awareness of the national college entrance exam.

(Source: Ecns.cn)

Editor: Yang Yang