SHANGHAI, Sept. 12 -- TWELVE teachers from the Shanghai Luwan Special Needs Education School won the school's Red Maple Award this week, honoring their hard work and love for their students.

The award was established by the school and sponsored by AstraZeneca China, the United Kingdom-based medicine company.

Founded in 2005, the award celebrates teaching ethics, skills, science and technology innovation, teamwork and optimistic attitude. The winners share the 100,000 yuan (US$12,887) prize.

Each year the school selects nominees, with final results decided with all crew members and parents, said the school.

Hu Meiyi, who won the award for teaching skills, said teachers working for special schools are not only a teacher, but also a nurse and a maid.

"We should take care of the daily life of all the students, especially some of them who have to take long-term medication to control their moods," she said.

"I'm glad to win the award, and I feel more and more people begin to understand and support special education, which gives me great encouragement."

Dr Shi Derong, vice president of Special Olympics China, said Special Olympic athletes and other mentally challenged people have raised awareness in society, while teachers who devoted themselves to the special education cause need more care and understanding.

"In such a hard position, it's not easy for them to accept, to be fond of or to make achievements on the job," said Dr Shi.

AstraZeneca said next year it will launch the Red Maple Award in Beijing Zhiguang Special Education School, which recruits intellectually disabled children from needy families.