BEIJING - China's vice minister of education on Wednesday urged local authorities to be strict about school safety rules and tighten management on teachers in kindergartens and primary and middle schools.

"Those who are not qualified for education institutions must be transferred out of their posts," Liu Limin said in a televised conference.

Law-breaking and unethical teachers, like the school principal arrested on suspicions of molesting children in south China's Hainan province, must be weeded out, the vice minister said.

The school principal surnamed Chen and a government employee surnamed Feng were arrested by the the People's Procuratorate in Wanning city in Hainan on Wednesday after procurators determined that existing evidence suggests the two have violated the country's criminal law.

While hailing the progress made in boosting school safety, Liu said problems such as the influence of social environment, slack management and school violence have posed challenges to school safety.

A comprehensive management system should be established, and school principals and heads of kindergartens must be held accountable for school safety, the vice minister said.

Liu also urged parents to shoulder their responsibility in taking custody of their children.