Primary teachers in KP refuse to keep arms in school

Sirajuddin Published January 21, 2015

PESHAWAR: The primary school teachers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have rejected the government’s decision to keep arms during school hours.

The decision was made on Wednesday during a convention of All Primary Teachers Association of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attended by a large number of primary teachers of the province.

The association’s president Malik Khalid said that provision of security for students, teachers and other staff members is the prime responsibility of the government.

“Our responsibility is to educate and teach the students not to provide security,” he told the gathering.

He said that the teachers community had rejected the government’s new policy in the name of security, adding that that they are ready to attend schools during holidays.

The teachers community also decided not to participate in the anti-polio drive, saying that the campaign is the duty of lady health workers and the health department.

After the attack on the Army Public School in December, the KP government took various steps to improve security measures.

Proposals made by the govt included issuing arms licenses and allowing teachers to keep arms during school hours.

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Ample reverence for Saudis

Jan 21, 2015 07:32pm

Totally agreed. Safety and basic human rights are supposed to be the fundamental responsibility of the respective state. If the state cant then must resign off gracefully!

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jawad

Jan 21, 2015 07:46pm

It could come handy and terrorists will think twice before attacking.

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Anne Khan

Jan 21, 2015 07:58pm

They are absolutely right about refusing to keep arms at school. Can anyone visualise if a gang entered a school & staryed to fire, then the teacher in turn started to fire back, how many more pupils/teachers will be injured.Why not, if at all financially possible, secure these schools from outside, construct high walls with barbed wire around them. Have one remote conyrolled gate, let teachers operate that, & a remote controlled door to school also. Barbed wire on top of exterior gate as well. Ps barb roof of building as well! so that these tertorists could get a nast trip & pinch if they were trying to enter via roof. Nothing wrong wìth electric fenses either! if children are warned. Guns fo use are absolutely crazy.

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Blister

Jan 21, 2015 08:11pm

Completely agree with them. Provision of security os the job of the state. So be it if the provincial government has to ask the federation for help or funding for this. No arms should be allowed inside the school unless they are on the body of a security personnel. There is a huge chance of misuse. On the other hand I hope they have not used the words "Lady" health worker as this is utterly sexist. The idea that it should be completely looked after by health department is OK but health workers are not just ladies and neither is it their responsibility alone.

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Taloot

Jan 21, 2015 08:30pm

Well done teachers. Make us proud. The first and foremost duty of any government is to provide protection to all its citizens without any discrimination whatsoever. If the government chooses to delegate that responsibility, it loses its right to govern; it may be any government, whether in KP, Punjab or at the centre. The government must provide protection to all citizens through whatever it takes.

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omer khan shaheen

Jan 21, 2015 08:38pm

I am proud of our brave teachers. Bravo!

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Gramscian

Jan 21, 2015 08:52pm

Right decision. Weapons should not be allowed into schools. It creates fear among students.

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meena

Jan 21, 2015 09:30pm

Bravo to these teachers! It was an idiotic suggestion in the first place. How can you put weapons in the hands of people not trained to use them? And so near young, vulnerable and impressionable children, who may inadvertently get their hands on these guns? Also, what about license to bear arms - is every teacher eligible, or trained, or psychologically stable enough to own and use weapons, and keep them at school no less? Sheer stupidity in my opinion.

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ahmed hafeez

Jan 21, 2015 09:32pm

A big slap on PTI

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shamain

Jan 21, 2015 09:51pm

Our teachers are sensible people

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Parvez

Jan 21, 2015 10:46pm

Completely agree with them........security is the responsibility of the State and the state is abdicating its responsibilities one at a time.

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Action

Jan 22, 2015 01:58am

No weapons whatsoever should be allowed to other than security personnel. The idea is a weapon free society specially where law and order is already ineffective.

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Seedoo

Jan 22, 2015 02:38am

The teachers community also decided not to participate in the anti-polio drive, saying that the campaign is the duty of lady health workers and the health department. Come on where is the team spirit? This is not my job, that is not my job! Please!

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saz

Jan 22, 2015 06:38am

Govt is devoid of intellect and vision hence came up with foolish and extremely dangerous idea of allowing teachers to have arms. Keeping arms there means they can be misused by any one at any time. The role of teachers is to teach rather guard. This is pure responsibility of National and provincial Govts. They are failed to address actual issue through concrete measures and are just providing superficial inappropriate suggestions Providing weapons in school means PK Govt is just placing their responsibility over others and developing arms culture among students.

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ilyas

Jan 22, 2015 08:26am

Our teachers do many things in school which they are not supposed to do. This is an extra ordinary time and we have to take extra ordinary measures. Security of every citizen is the responsibility of the Govt but can Govt make each home secured? Off course not and this is why the Govt has allowed its citizen to have a license weapon in home and use it for their safety if the need arises. An intruder think twice before breaking into a home against one which doesn't have arms. Do we have to be afraid to protect our own kids from these beasts? If our teachers are so professional in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities, we would have been a different nation. What is the problem if a teach has a firearm hidden from kids and use it in emergency situations to protect himself and the kids from these monster.

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khanm

Jan 22, 2015 10:11am

@Anne Khan Thank god the teachers refused to take arms or else the government would be sending them to FATA to take of the security problem...... people don't decide to send military to KP it is government's responsibility...

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