China's Education Ministry has instructed kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools to upgrade security, after a spate of violent attacks against students.

Education Minister Yuan Guiren said at a video conference Friday that schools should integrate safety awareness into the curriculum, and teach children self-protection.

Yuan also mandated schools to hire security guards, install security facilities and to make sure young students were escorted home.

The conference was held in the wake of recent cases of school violence, the worst of them in Nanping city, Fujian Province, where a man killed eight elementary school children.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2010)