Any teacher caught abusing, molesting or sexually harassing students will be banned from teaching at any school, the Ministry of Education said on Friday.

Their teaching credentials, academic titles and honors will also be revoked, and their information will be recorded in the national teachers' information system and no school will be allowed to hire them again, according to four guidelines released on the ministry's website.

Teachers accused of committing crimes will be referred to law enforcement authorities and schools that fail to supervise their teachers or who help cover up their misbehavior will also be held accountable, according to the guidelines.

Teaching ethics will be an indispensable part of all teachers' evaluation for promotion or getting awards, and teachers who violate ethics will not be eligible for promotion or higher academic titles, the ministry said.

"Teachers at all levels should not physically or verbally abuse students, molest or sexually harass students, take money from students or parents, attend entertainment activities paid by parents or play favoritism in student admission, exams and award assessment," the guidelines stipulate.

University teachers should not commit plagiarism in academic research while primary and middle school teachers should not take part-time jobs at after-school training institutions, the guidelines emphasize.

Teaching ethics has received a great deal of attention from the public after a number of student abuse and sexual harassment allegations were reported in schools across the country.

A female teacher, surnamed Liu, from RYB Education New World Kindergarten in Beijing, was arrested in December after the procuratorate of Beijing's Chaoyang district accused her of using needles to "discipline" children.

Another directive issued by the central authorities on Thursday also made it clear that kindergarten teachers who violate teaching ethics and cause serious damage will be banned from teaching again.

Kindergartens that physically harm students will have their certificate revoked, with people in charge being banned from opening kindergartens again, said the document.

Gu Mingyuan, former president of the Chinese Education Society, said teachers should have higher ethical standards than ordinary people, and those who were unethical should be in no position to teach.

Most teachers in China are dedicated, hardworking professionals and models for their students and they have made great contributions to the country's development and cultivation of talent, he said.

"What the guidelines aim to achieve is to get rid of those rotten apples that spoil the whole barrel."