All schools and universities in Beijing will be prohibited from using flying objects during the Olympics.

The ban, which runs from July 20 through September 24, is applicable to model planes, hot-air balloons and paragliders, according to a municipal commission of education circular on Monday.

The municipal education authority also demanded that during the citywide ban, all institutions and schools in possession of model planes, paragliders, hot-air balloons, motor-driven paragliders and advertising balloons to put away the flying objects for safekeeping.

Meanwhile, special personnel should be assigned to take care of flying objects collected from individual owners so as to prevent unlawful elements from carrying out sabotage or staging political publicity.

The municipal education watchdog also told different units and schools to be on alert and report cases of violation during the ban.

The Beijing Olympics will run from August 8 to 24 and the Paralympic Games from Sept. 6 to 17.

(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2008)