Punjab Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed has said no laxity should be displayed in the security arrangements of educational institutions after summer vacations.
He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting called to review the security arrangements at educational institutions and steps taken for creating hatred against terrorism and extremism through curricula and extra curricula activities.
Secretary Schools Abdul Jabar Shaheen, Secretary Higher Education Irfan Ali, Punjab Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Nizamud Din, Additional Secretary Higher Education Shahid Zaman and other officers attended the meeting.
A briefing was given to the minister regarding security arrangements and other measures taken at schools, colleges and universities.
The education minister was told that essays, stories and poems have been included in the syllabus for creating hatred against terrorism and extremism. These topics have also been included in speech and writing contests at schools level. Similarly, effective steps are also being taken at colleges and university level.
Rana Mashhood Ahmed said that the prescribed SOPs regarding security arrangements in educational institutions should be implemented strictly particularly no laxity or negligence should be shown regarding posting of security guards, installation of barbed wire, metal detectors and raising of boundary walls of educational institutions.
He said that no political interference should be entertained in this regard. The provincial minister also stressed upon patrolling of mobile police vans and installation of alarm system in schools under SOPs.
He further said that motivating male and female students to hate extremism, terrorism and violence through curricula and extra curricula activities is part of the National Action Plan (NAP) and necessary for our survival and bright future.
