PARIS - A third of primary schoolchildren in China are suffering from psychological ill-health as a result of classroom stress and parental pressure, according to a study.

The problem is so bad that urgent measures are needed, warns the study, led by British and Chinese researchers.

The investigation surveyed 2,191 pupils aged nine to 12 in nine schools in urban and rural Zhejiang.

Some 81 per cent of the youngsters said they worried "a lot" about exams, 63 per cent feared being punished by their teacher, 44 per cent had been physically bullied at least sometimes - with boys likelier to be victims than girls - and 73 per cent had been physically punished by their parents.

Most of the children complained they struggled to cope with the amount of homework they were assigned.

Over one-third reported headaches or abdominal pains - psychosomatic symptoms of stress - at least once a week. The most stressed children reported incidence of aches or pains of four times a week.

The investigation, led by a professor at University College London Centre for International Health and Development, pointed the finger at extreme competitiveness in China's education system. AFP