ZHENGZHOU - A primary school teacher in central China's Henan Province on Monday was sentenced to death with two years' reprieve for raping and molesting his pupils, a local court said.

Yang Shifu, 56, was convicted of raping and molesting his students at a school in Tongbai County in the city of Nanyang between spring 2012 and May 2013, when police received tip-offs and detained him after an investigation, said a court statement issued by Nanyang City Intermediate People's Court.

Two girls were raped and others were molested during the period, the court said.

The case was among a series of sexual assaults reported in primary schools across the country last year, prompting public anger over teachers' misconduct and concerns for the safety of students.