Security guards, labourers demand exorbitantly high wages after schools are forced to hire them to come up to govt’s new security standards
The prices of security gadgets and related equipment has increased manifold after the government directed educational institutions to take adequate measures for the security of students on campus in the wake of the Army Public School Peshawar attack, Pakistan Today has learnt.
With thousands of schools looking to improve the security of campuses all at once, traders have multiplied profits. The government has asked the administration of educational institutions to increase the height of boundary walls and install barbed wire on its top, install metal detectors, CCTV cameras, additional security guards and emergency sirens amongst many other security measures. The schools were given one month to complete the aforementioned requisites while the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) and police monitored and later inspected the entire exercise. After approval of the law enforcers, schools and other institutes were allowed to open.
Meanwhile, the price of all the required security equipment and other materials has almost quadrupled within a short span. The price of a walk through gate increased from Rs200,000 to Rs700,000 and there is also a shortage in the market.
“Traders take money in advance for equipment which is not in their stocks and will be imported using the buyers’ money. Most of the people don’t even know that installing walk through gates is not even a requirement as per the SOPs issued by the government, but only because of the hype, prices have been multiplied,” said a private school owner requesting anonymity.
A market survey further revealed that razor wire previously available at Rs 125 per kilogramme is now being sold for Rs 460 per kilogramme and not is also short in the market. As per further information, just one big private school chain has procured around 90 tonnes of the wire. Moreover, the metal detector which was previously available for Rs 800 is now being sold for Rs 4,000.
“They have jacked up prices and that too for the equipment that is faulty. Just because of the increasing sales, security equipment has disappeared from the market and traders are taking money in advance and importing it from the buyers’ money. The school administration has to make sure all these equipments are there lest the government should impose any action,” owner of another school said.
HEYDAY FOR DAILY WAGERS, SECURITY GUARDS:
The daily wage labourer which was previously available for Rs500 per day is demanding Rs 2,000 for construction of a boundary wall and other security structures. The price of bricks has also increased.
The same is true about security guards also who have increased their rates manifold. A normal guard previously working at Rs11,000 per month is now demanding Rs25,000, while those coming from an enlisted company are asking for at least Rs40,000 per month.
According to an estimate, there are more than 80,000 private schools in Punjab and half the number public schools. The recent security measures have jolted the entire society, especially parents of small children who are regularly being called by schools for security related meetings.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Pakistan Private Schools Federation President Mirza Kashif said that extra financial burden has been put on schools, adding that they willing to bear and support the government in taking security measures but “security is constitutionally the government’s responsibility and schools cannot be held responsible for any breach, if at all”.
“It is unreasonable not to let schools open for lack of security as there is a shortage of security equipments and gadgets in the market. Schools cannot import metal detectors and razor wire on their own. The government should consider small schools as well, even the big ones cannot import security stuff,” Kashif added.
School Education Secretary Abdul Jabbar Shaheen was not available for comments.
