Concerned parents find security measures adopted at most schools to be inadequate, demand govt to provide funds to all schools to adopt standard security measures
Govt divides schools of Karachi into different zones according to their security needs, bans use of mobile phones by school staff, students
Parents of school children have voiced concern over the inadequate security measures adopted at educational institutions which reopened on Monday after prolonged winter vacations following the attack on Army Public School (APS) Peshawar.
The winter vacations were lengthened for 10 more days due to security concerns and the government had ordered that schools would only be opened after adequate security measures were taken. However, generally there was no improvement in the security of most schools and worried parents were hesitant in sending their children to “insecure” schools.
Aliya Nawaz said her children attend a private school in Gulistan-e-Johar area.
“I was very concerned about the safety of my children when they went to school after the winter vacations,” she said, adding that she is considering transferring her children to a better school.
“Almost half of the police force and police mobiles are busy providing security to ministers, parliamentarians and other VIPs. If half of the VIP police security is slashed and diverted to schools, many mothers would be able to heave a sigh of relief,” she said.
However, for most parents, considering the transfer of their children to “better and securer” schools is not an option.
“Some private schools have erected high boundary walls and hired private guards. However, in government schools generally there is no improvement in security arrangements, saving that their gates were manned by security guards,” said Hassan, another concerned working-class parent.
“Even the security guards are ill-equipped and untrained to deal with any emergency situation,” lamented Hassan whose two daughters attend a state-run school in Karachi.
“The government should provide adequate security to all schools as the state is duty-bound to protect every citizen irrespective of ‘class’,” said Hassan.
ILLEGAL BUS STANDS AROUND SCHOOLS – A SECURITY HAZARAD:
Parents are also concerned about illegal bus stands near schools, especially in Sadder and Empress Market areas the biggest illegal bus terminals for inter-city transport operate with full impunity. The presence of encroachments, pushcart vendors and hawkers near school premises is also a cause for concern for many parents, teachers and students.
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) lacks capacity and will to remove illegal encroachments from the city’s streets. Illegal bus terminals and encroachments near schools are also witnessed in areas administrated by some cantonment boards, which need to be removed on priority basis.
Trader Nizar Merchant said he is extremely concerned about the security of his children. He said he is considering arranging private transport for his children
“Presently my children get picked and dropped to school on a school van,” said Nizar, adding that the government should also arrange security for school vans which may be soft target of terrorists.
Shahida Khalid, whose son goes to a private school in Banori Town area said that she was happy to see the presence of Rangers in the vicinity of her son’s school.
“But there is still room for improvement,” she said, adding that many other anxious mothers want better security of their children at educational institutions. She urged police and Rangers to take utmost efforts for security of schools.
BETTERS SECURITY FOR ALL:
The civil society has also demanded better security arrangements around schools.
Pasban-e-Pakistan President Altaf Shakoor says Karachi is amongst the cities which are declared sensitive by the government agencies and hence it is the prime duty of the government to increase security around education institutions so that an incident like APS Peshawar is not repeated.
He said that school administrations and parents should also take steps to maximise safety of students.
“In our society, there is a culture to safeguard the interests of the ruling class and resultantly the government is more concerned about the security of costly private schools where the children of elite class are enrolled,” he said, adding that the government schools where children of the working class are enrolled also deserve better security.
Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Sindh ameer Dr Mirajul Hada Siddiqui said it is the responsibility of the government to provide security to every person and every institution “but sadly the government is not performing its duties properly”.
“The government is pressuring private schools to arrange barricades, private armed guards, vigilance cameras, boundary walls etcetera but for 95 percent private schools it is not possible to finance such arrangements.”
He suggested that instead of shifting the responsibility to the private schools the government should provide adequate security to all private and government educational institutions.
Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah has said that the provincial government is making all out efforts to improve security of educational institutions.
Visiting schools in different areas of Karachi on Monday, he said that the schools of Karachi have been divided in different zones according to their security needs.
“English medium schools and educational institutions being run by missionaries face more threats,” he said.
He said security arrangements in the government schools are being enhanced and the patrolling of police and Rangers has been enhanced in the vicinity of schools. The government should soon construct boundary walls in schools that are presently working without proper boundary walls, he added.
He urged the schools’ administration to take steps at their level to improve security of their institutions.
In a bid to enhance security of educational institutes, authorities have banned the use of mobile phones by school staff and students.
