BEIJING - Senior Chinese leader Zhou Yongkang has called it a "major political task" to ensure security at schools and kindergartens, after a string of violent attacks against students.

Zhou Yongkang (C), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, addresses a conference on maintaining stability in Beijing, capital city of China, May 3, 2010. [Xinhua]

"We must take fast action to strengthen security for schools and kindergartens to create a harmonious environment for children to study and grow up," said Zhou, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Monday at a conference on maintaining stability.

China has recently witnessed a surge in attacks at schools, the worst of which occurred in Nanping City, Fujian Province, when a man killed eight elementary school children in March.

In the latest case, five kindergarten class children and a teacher were injured on Friday when a man attacked them with an iron hammer before killing himself at a school in Shandong Province.

Zhou urged Party and government officials to keep in close contact with local communities, work units and families, and to know well public opinions and solve people's complaints.

Zhou called for special care for "people in difficult situations" and urged local governments to prevent any extreme issues caused by exacerbated contradictions.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Public Security issued an emergency circular ordering all necessary measures to be taken against school attackers in accordance with the law to stop a crime in progress.

The ministry instructed police to work with education authorities to comprehensively screen all campuses and their surrounding areas for security risks.