Chinese universities are no longer allowed to expel* pregnant* students, and instead have to help with the registration* of the students’ babies, according to a government circular* issued last week.

The circular also advised female students to “temporarily suspend* schooling during the childbearing period” in order to “ensure the health of mother and child.”

The circular, jointly released by the China’s National Population and Family Planning Commission, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Security, clarified* residential registration procedures for students’ new-born babies.

Student couples can register babies with the residence of grandparents and re-register them with their own residence after graduation, it said.

College students in China usually have a temporary school residence before graduation and employment decides the final residence.

Early last year, a dismissed* medical college student won a discrimination* case against her school for expelling her because she gave birth while still taking courses.

Wang Hongjie won the suit and got her master’s degree from Mudanjiang Medical College in northeastern China’s Heilongjiang Province.

Students were forbidden to marry until the law was changed in September 2005.

Teachers still discourage students from marriage before graduation, as most students are not financially prepared to handle study, marriage and babies at the same time.

(SD-Agencies)