BEIJING - The Chinese government plans to address problems plaguing the nation's preschool education system, including the great academic burden placed on preschoolers, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Education on Wednesday.

Problems such as the kindergarten crunch, high tuition fees and the overloaded curriculum for preschoolers seriously impede the development of preschool education, said the statement.

The ministry plans to institute an evaluation and supervision system where local education authorities' performance in managing preschool education will be evaluated.

Local education authorities are urged to increase financial investment in this area, expand public kindergartens and support private ones, improve kindergarten teachers' welfare and stop kindergartens from overloading their students with academic work.

The Chinese preschool education system has been plagued by a raft of problems, including difficult access due to a shortage of kindergartens, high tuition and excessive academic burden.

In order to get into key elementary schools, the nation's preschoolers are often under great pressure to learn many things, even things taught in elementary school.