No extra fees for school security: Officials

BEIJING - The central government has banned schools and kindergartens from charging fees for hiring guards and installing security systems to protect students from violence after several deadly assaults at schools across the country.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planner and regulator, issued an urgent notice on Wednesday, urging price supervision authorities to strictly implement regulations relating to educational charges.

Officials at schools and kindergartens should not ask the students or parents of children attending preschools to cover the cost of upgrading the security facilities or hiring more guards, according to the notice.