BEIJING — China has issued a guideline to strengthen the professional ethics of teachers, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Dec 16.

With 15 measures in five aspects, the guideline puts professional ethics as the most important criterion in evaluating teachers, in an effort to raise teachers' ethics and virtues, and encourage public respect for educators and public support for education, said Ren Youqun, an official with the MOE, at a news conference.

The guideline also pointed out that holistic approach and special programs will be carried out to prevent violations of the professional ethics of teachers, said Ren.

Violators of professional ethics will face severe punishments and those who commit serious violations will be banned from teaching for life, Ren said.

Ren added that the guideline names the professional ethics as the primary criterion regarding qualification authentication, recruitment and professional rankings of teachers.

The document also for the first time puts forward requirements on public respect for educators and public support for education, and proposes measures to raise the social status and guarantee the rights and interests of educators, Ren said.

The guideline was jointly issued by seven administrative departments, including the MOE, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.