BEIJING - China's work safety watchdog said Wednesday that increased checks and improved monitoring for school bus safety will be implemented in light of last month's deadly school bus accident in east China.

The Work Safety Commission under the State Council said governments at all levels must take the responsibility of finding and eliminating weaknesses in school bus safety to avoid accidents, urging full-scale checks for safety loopholes and monitoring for private buses used by kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools.

Knowledge about school bus safety will be strengthened among students and parents and school bus drivers will be required to undergo stricter training programs, the office said.

School bus safety has come under increased scrutiny following a pair of accidents around the end of last year. A school bus overturned and fell into a ditch on December 12, 2011 in Jiangsu province, killing 15 in the bus,while another 21 people were killed in a school bus accident that occurred in west China's Gansu province on November 16.

According to initial investigation, the accident on December 12 was caused  by speeding of the school bus, coupled with improper response of the driver in avoiding a pedicab coming from the opposite direction, said the Work Safety Commission of the State Council.