LAHORE - Authorities have set January 31 as the deadline for educational institutes to finalise security steps. About 200 educational institutes were warned sternly, officials said.
They said that the officials concerned are regularly monitoring the security measures adopted by all public and private sector educational institutes.
They said that as per the reports submitted by them, 200 institutes are yet to take security steps directed by the lawmen concerned.
“No educational institute will be opened without completing the security arrangements”, they further added.
They said that Punjab University, Government College University, Lahore College for Women University have already completed security arrangements while some public and private sector institutes lacked security apparatus.
However, law enforcement agencies and district administrations directed them to fulfill the requirement.
Education EDO Pervaiz Akhtar said he directed headmasters and principals of all A Plus and A category public and private schools of provincial metropolis to ensure effective and foolproof security. He laid emphasis on implementing SOPs.
“All the heads of the schools informed me in detail about the security steps they have taken,” he added.
“Protection of students and teachers in schools is our joint responsibility which cannot be ignored. Warning is being issued to those educational institutions which took unsatisfactory security steps,” he held.
The EDO said that he directed heads of educational institutions to completely implement 20 points of SOPs and ensure fixed height of boundary walls and installation of barbed wire of schools.
Besides verification of particulars of security guards, checking of quality of weapons used by them is also necessary, he added.
He said that metal detectors and CCTV cameras must be installed in all the schools of A and A Plus category.
He said regular sweeping of the schools would be ensured and a vigilant eye be kept on the surroundings of boundary walls of the schools.
He said that only one gate should be used for entry and exit in schools and a movement register replaced at the gate for noting the details of movement of every irrelevant persons.
He said that he directed heads of schools to display emergency telephone numbers in their offices, classrooms and staffrooms and remain in contact with the police van deployed for patrolling of schools and where necessary, get clearance from special branch regarding school premises, adjacent residences and school canteen.
He said that carts and venders standing outside schools should be removed. Besides verification of particulars of canteen staff and labourers engaged in development projects, a watchful eye be kept on their activities, he added.