A local newspaper in Central China apologized on Monday night for publishing a report praising the education authorities of the county where 23 students were attacked last week.

The Xinyang Daily, a major newspaper in Henan province's Xinyang city, said they were sorry because one of their articles "hurt the feelings of the injured students and their families".

The report, published yesterday, praised the education authorities of Guangshan county for their dedication to public service.

Twenty-three students in a rural primary school in Guangshan county were attacked by a man holding a knife on Friday morning.

The suspect was detained after he escaped from the classroom building.

Most of the students were injured in the head, and at least four of them were seriously injured.

Many netizens expressed their anger at the news report in the Xinyang Daily, questioning why the newspaper ignored the suffering of the students and their families.

The Xinyang Daily said in the apology note that the mistake was caused by the lack of ethics of some of its employees.