SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Most of the government and private schools in the federal capital have been found having insufficient security measures in place so far, as security audit of over 1,600 educational institutions continues amidst parents’ demand to reopen schools as early as possible.
In the wake of recent attack on a school in Peshawar, the law-enforcers have been striving hard to make security of the educational institutions in Islamabad foolproof so that intruders could not have easy access to the premises. The management of schools had been asked to limit the number of entry and exit points, appoint dedicated security staff, raise the boundary wall up to 8 feet minimum, fix barbed wire over the wall and install CCTV cameras so as the students and staff feel more secure and schools could be reopened at the earliest. However, according to the sources in the police department, the police teams dedicated for security audit have found a large number of schools which don’t have sufficient security measures in place so far. “They (schools) have been pressed to review security arrangements in the light of instructions of the interior ministry,” said the sources. The high-ups of the Islamabad police are hopeful of completing security audit of 422 government and 1200 private schools before January 12.
“We are striving to make the staff and students feel that they have a foolproof security system. We should be security conscious but there should be no panic amongst the staff and students…they should not find themselves in a hostage-like situation due to unnecessary measures,” said a senior Islamabad police officer on condition of anonymity, adding still a lot needs to be done in this regard. However, he said it is not the solution to the security threats. “It is just hard to make an absolute foolproof security system for certain premises,” he explained.
As part of security measures, the police have started training of the school management as the school staff would be able to convey to the law-enforcers about any risky situation through the android-based technology. One push to a button and the call would go to five points including Rescue-15, police wireless control, DSP concerned, SHO concerned and the wireless room of the concerned police station, for quick response.
PTA in collaboration with Islamabad police and a mobile application developer, Pure Push, has developed Mobile Emergency Alert System for Schools (MEASS) to ensure effective security of schools and hospitals situated in Islamabad capital territory.
The alerts can be activated in situations like armed attack by terrorist, bomb blast, kidnapping, fire, and other suspicious activities. Heads of educational institutions and two staffers from each school are being briefed about the alert system. The PTA has donated a tablet to each police station in Islamabad while it has also donated one smart phone to the management of each school.
The sources in the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) said the availability of funds remains the major concern for the schools management when it comes to enhancing security.
They said though the initiative is quite good but first the educational institutions need to be made secure by providing them trained security guards, guns and other security apparatus recommended by the ICT administration. At present, the educational institutions have gatekeepers but not trained and equipped with weapons security guards.
Half of the posts of gatekeepers are lying vacant and those who are working are near retirement, they added.
According to the directorate, at the moment the education managers don’t have even consolidated data about the needs and demands of educational institutions to take security measures. The Public Works Department and Project and Development Department of the FDE have been surveying all schools and colleges. They are making estimates of the constructing costs of walls, security guards, barbed wires, metal detectors and close circuit cameras.
The estimates are going to be compiled till Friday then a PC-I will be drafted to demand supplementary grant from the Finance Ministry, said the officials of the FDE. The colleges that have sufficient funds already have been asked to hire security guards, raise walls and fix barbed wires.
The sources said around 392 F.G schools are still waiting for the funds whose buildings are in tatters. Officials blamed the CDA for allocating lands near nullahs for educational institutions that has made more difficult to secure them.
On the other hand, pressure is mounting from the side of parents, students and private schools to reopen educational institutions as annual exams are nearing. The academic activity suffered a lot in the ongoing academic year first due to sit-ins and now security reasons.
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