BEIJING - Efforts will be made to improve safety management in schools, especially kindergartens and rural boarding schools, China's vice-minister of education said Friday.

The ministry will also take measures to ensure safety in various areas of school management, including food safety, epidemic prevention, school bus safety and campus fire control, Vice-Minister of Education Du Yubo said during a televised conference on school safety communication that was aired in Beijing and 2,700 other locations around the country.

Du said that the number of accidents in schools has decreased due to efforts made by educational departments at all levels and schools in recent years.

However, school safety management still needs to be improved, as it faces challenges from natural disasters and the social situation, Du said, adding that educational departments and schools should continue to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring safety in and around schools.

Du suggested that all relevant departments and schools should further legal education and bear security work in mind in order to comprehensively promote safety in and around schools.

On Sept 28, Wu Yechang, 25, used a long knife to attack 16 children at a care center in Pingnan county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, killing three children and injuring 13 others.