KOHAT: Proper security arrangements have not been made by most of the government and private schools and colleges despite strict instructions of the commissioner, Kohat division, to the education department in this regard.

The Army Public School and College is among the few institutions where the already strict security has been tightened by deploying snipers at the rooftop and commandos at the main gate.

There are over 1,000 government high, middle and primary schools, also including those for girls, and 235 private schools in Kohat district. The total number of private schools and colleges which come under the control of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Kohat, throughout Kohat division is 480. Of those 235 private schools are located in Kohat district, and the rest in Orakzai Agency, Kurram Agency, Karak, Hangu and FR Kohat.

A statement issued by the office of the district police officer, Kohat, after inspection of various schools and colleges said on Tuesday that police were in close contact with the educational institutions to implement the security plan provided to them to avoid any untoward incident.

“We are in close touch with the education department to enforce the security guidelines which have been approved by the federal and provincial governments, and provided to all the institutions. No compromise will be made on security and I have issued strict instructions in this regard during my visit on Tuesday,” the statement quoting the DPO said.

The administrations of institutions should keep eye on suspicious activity or a person and report it to the nearest police station or Rescue 15. The emergency numbers should be displayed on the notice board so that a student or a teacher should contact them in critical security situations, the DPO said.

DPO says in touch with education dept to enforce security plan

Commissioner Jamaluddin Shah during a recent meeting with the officials of the education department had clearly said that schools not making security arrangements according to the plan would not be allowed to open. However, all the institutions were opened on Monday. Some of the institutions have not made proper security arrangements except for placing barbed wire on the boundary walls, which was not even done in the case of cadet colleges and schools spread over acres of land. Some schools have been making excuses of shortage of resources besides saying security is the responsibility of the government.

“We have appointed staff at the gates to check the boy and girl students and issued orders that the girls should remove veils after entering the school so that the teachers should easily identify them,” said an official of a private school.

Following the Peshawar incident, the government had decided to give special training to the school watchmen to combat terrorism incidents, but nothing had been done in this regard. A security official said that training of watchmen would take at least six months.

Besides, prolonged power outages in the city and rural areas are also one of the main hurdles to improving security. During half the night the school buildings remain covered in black blanket and nothing is visible to the watchmen because of prolonged outages.

Published in Dawn January 14th , 2015

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