Soochow University in east China's Jiangsu Province has granted maternity leave to legally married pregnant students, bringing college regulations further in line with the new Marriage Law, nen.com.cn reported yesterday.

 

The Ministry of Education lifted the ban on college students getting married on March 29, 2005. This releases students of legal age from needing university permission before tying the knot. According to Soochow University's new regulations, married student mothers can file maternity leave applications and resume their studies after the baby's birth. In the past, pregnant women were not permitted from attending university.

The green light on maternity leave lit up other disputes, among which whether the expense of giving birth should be covered by campus medicare.

 

The education authorities in Jiangsu Province believe that more questions concerning related topics, such as marriage leave and the hukou -- a registered permanent residence -- for campus-born babies, will follow.

 

On March 24, 2005, Wang Hongjie was married on campus and was expelled from Mudanjiang Medical College for pregnancy shortly before her graduation. Wang filed a lawsuit against the college and resumed her studies after reconciliation was reached on February 27 last year.

 

(China Daily January 9, 2007)