"Strict teachers make excellent students" means that strict teachers can cultivate excellent students. A similar famous saying that a strict teacher makes a great teacher is as follows:

Plum blossoms are fragrant unless they are cold. How can they be fragrant? This sentence means that you can't make remarkable achievements without going through some hardships. It emphasizes the importance of hard work and perseverance.

Bao Jianfeng comes from sharpening and plum blossom fragrance comes from bitter cold: this famous saying means that Bao Jianfeng comes from sharpening and plum blossom fragrance comes from cold winter. It emphasizes that only through hard work and tempering can outstanding talents be cultivated.

These famous sayings all emphasize the importance of strict requirements and hard work in cultivating outstanding talents. They are similar to the concept of "strict teachers make excellent students".