BEIJING — A new set of regulations stipulated by the Ministry of Education will take effect on Sept 1 to strengthen the protection of minors at Chinese schools.

The regulations issued by the ministry in June require the establishment of a zero-tolerance handling mechanism for bullying, sexual assault and harassment against students, and clarify the situations and rules to identify bullying in schools.

Ordering schools to strengthen homework management to avoid overburdening students, the regulations stipulate that compulsory-education schools should not organize study sessions during statutory national holidays, rest days, winter and summer holidays.

The document also puts forward a series of prohibitive requirements to regulate the behavior of faculty and staff, banning them from requesting or accepting money or valuables from students and their parents in any form, and from accepting banquets or other benefits.