The upraising work of the boundary walls of 22 educational institutions in the Federal Capital is near completion under first phase of Prime Minister Education Reforms Programme.
The work of the remaining institutions will be carried out in the second phase; the programme was initiated for safety and security of educational institutions in Islamabad.
Citing details about steps taken by the government for the purpose, the information issued by Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) has revealed that Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) endeavours to provide quality education to children of residents of Islamabad through its 422 educational institutions.
Every effort is being made to ensure safe, secure and conducive environment in all educational institutions.
The ministry said an amount of Rs. 182.337 million was allocated and transferred to Pakistan Works Department (PWD) for the repairing and uplift of boundary walls of the educational institutions.
The installation of razor wire is also included in the project. The said work has been started in 24 educational institutions under FDE.
The other features of the programme are provision of CCTV surveillance system in all public institutions under FDE, designed and developed Security Inspection Monitoring System (SIMS) for real time monitoring, analysis and reporting security inspection and also designed and developed Daily Visitor Invigilation System (DVIS) for schools and colleges to make educational institutions secure from all manifestation of threat and other suspicious activities.
The ministry further informed that watchmen are appointed in the institutions and they should perform their duties vigilantly to ensure security of the institutions while visitors are allowed to enter the institutions after they prove their identity and are checked properly.
Watchmen are equipped with metal detectors in most institutions. Students are not allowed to go outside the college premises, emergency telephone numbers are also displayed at prominent places in the institutions while fire extinguishers are installed in the institutions.
With regard to instructions issued by the government to administration of Private Educational Institutions for their safety and security in Islamabad, the ministry said these include non-scalable walls (at least eight feet high), wall topped off with two feet high concertina wire, trained security guards (roof top, gate and stealth placement), metal detectors, walk through gates, CCTV coverage with fifteen days memory backup, emergency exits, nomination of chief security officer by each private educational institution and verification of pick and drop services.
In addition to the above, Special Branch of the office of Assistant Inspector General of Police has been assigned to conduct security audit of private educational institutions of Islamabad.
Moreover, office of Chief Commissioner (ICT) has constituted an Implementation watch committee to review security arrangements of these private educational institutions.