ISLAMABAD: Government schools do not have budget to implement the security measures proposed by the police and the district administration.

A five-member committee, comprising police officers and officials from the deputy commissioner office and Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), has recommended nine-piont security guidelines for the schools.

According to the guidelines, the schools are required to raise boundary wall up to eight feet with two feet of concertina razor wire on top of the wall.

The schools have been directed to hire trained security guards, install close circuit television (CCTV) cameras, etc.

Sources at CADD told Dawn that after completing security measures, the schools were supposed to get an NOC from the committee their reopening.

However, a school principal told Dawn that so far no progress had been made on raising walls and installation of other security equipment.

“If the NOC is required for reopening of schools then, honestly speaking, a large number of schools including ours would not be reopened on January 12,” said the principal on condition of anonymity.

He, however, said the committee would have to reverse its decision with regard to implementation of security measures.

“Students can’t afford any further loss of time. And I think, committee members are aware of this fact,” the principal said.

There are around 50 schools in the capital which don’t have proper boundary walls.

“We don’t have budget even for cleaning up our water tank, let alone constructing boundary wall.

Earlier, when we used to collect fees from students we had had budget. But, now, under article 25-A, we can’t collect fee from students,” said a female principal.

When contacted a senior officer at Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) said they didn’t have sufficient funds for taking the security arrangements in the light of the directives issued by the committee.

He, however, said the release of special grant was being taken up with CADD.

“We have already lost 12 days and now we have only nine days left. So without special funding, we could not finalise security arrangements by January 11,” he said.

Mohammad Ali Shah, a spokesman for CADD, said they would soon purchase security equipment and begin constructing work on boundary walls.

“We will start work with the available budget,” he added.

Meanwhile, the committee monitoring security arrangement met SSP security Mirvais Niaz on Thursday.

A police officer said the meeting noted that without having special budget schools could not implement security measures.

He said it was decided in the meeting that police, through the interior ministry, will also request Finance Ministry to release special budget for schools’ security.

“FDE is already making effort to get the budget and we will also try to convince finance ministry to release the finances.I hope by January 5, the budget will be released,” the police officer said.

If the budget is released by January 5, the schools will have sufficient time to take security arrangements by January 11.

The schools are scheduled to re-open on January 12 after observing around 20 days winter vacation.

They were to re-open on January 1, but due to persisting security threats, the government had to extend the vacation.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2015

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