China is revising its law on the protection of minors to ban teachers from insulting and physically punishing their students, as a recent survey shows that Chinese teachers often humiliate their pupils.

The amendment, which was tabled to the ongoing legislative session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) for first reading, requires teachers and other school staff to respect minors and prohibits corporal punishment of students.

The regulation said teachers who break the law can be fired, given administrative punishment or other penalties according to the seriousness of the infraction.

A survey released by the National Youth Working Committee in 2005 showed that 81.45 percent of primary school students listed insults from teachers as their most serious problem.

In 2004, a 17-year-old middle school student committed suicide after being humiliated by a teacher in front of her classmates. 
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2006)