More schools will soon open their doors to students of various religious beliefs.

A new rule by the State Administration of Religious Affairs will take effect next month to regulate schools set up by religious groups.

The rule sets criteria on teaching and faculty formation of the new schools. The number of teachers must be 8 or 10 percent of the number of students enrolled.

Potential school founders must submit reports on the fiscal sources, and education guidelines to relevant religious affairs bureaux for approval.

It also stipulates religious bureaux at the provincial or the State level must respond to applications within 30 or 60 days.

The rules are the first of its kind released by the country to regulate religious education. The 2005 Regulations on Religious Affairs set only general guidelines on the establishment of religious schools.

There are currently more than 70 religious schools in the country, set up by China's five major religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Catholicism and Islamism.

Religious followers welcomed the rules as a landmark step toward a sound education mechanism for religion development.

Previously, several religions in China often lacked a systematic education system, which hindered their development, Zhang Jiyu, vice-president of the Taoist Association in China, said.

"It was traditional for a senior Taoist to personally educate younger Taoists," Zhang said.

"Now, public education can enable these disciples to broaden their horizon and learn more about different faiths and also the outside world."

But Zhang said the morality culture of students also deserved attention.

Ji Jianhong, chairperson of the Protestant Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee of the Protestant Churches in China, said the rules laid a solid foundation for the integration of religious education into the national education system.

Students from religious colleges or schools are currently excluded from the national education system. Their degrees are not recognized by the education authorities, and they do not enjoy the same benefits as other students.

Ji said the rules will help promote a more standard education system, as the current one in Christian colleges is outdated and does not fit in with the demands of society.

"Colleges across the country can develop more standard textbooks and more scientific teaching methods," Ji said.

As a first step in the implementation of the new rules, a national training class was held for teachers last month.

(China Daily August 30, 2007)