Parents should take the responsibility of protecting their children and ensure that they have a happy and safe winter break, the Ministry of Education warned on its website on Thursday as the winter vacation approaches.

The warning to parents of primary and middle school students was released after a number of tragic drownings recently.

On Tuesday, four children skating on a frozen lake in Linfen, Shanxi province, fell through the ice and died. In Jieyang, Guangdong province, three primary school students and one kindergartner drowned playing outdoors on Sunday. And on Jan 17, three students from primary and middle schools in Maoming, Guangdong province, slipped into a pond and died.

The ministry said parents should take good care of their children and prevent them from playing around bodies of water that do not have protective barriers or facilities. Walking or skating on frozen surfaces of lakes or ponds should also be strictly forbidden, the ministry said.