Three months on: Schools still lack basic security

Documents and files are now being forwarded and shared at the FDE to issue tenders and invite bidders.

ISLAMABAD:

More than three months after the December 16 attack on Army Public School in Peshawar, measures announced to beef up security at educational institutes have yet to materialise.  

Following the Peshawar attack, announcements and surprise visits were made to schools and colleges for immediate and urgent steps. Around Rs200 million have already been released, but the construction of boundary walls and security equipment has yet to enter full-flow.

Documents and files are now being forwarded and shared at the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) to issue tenders and invite bidders.

“We are following all procedures including Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) requirements,” said an FDE official.

The initial FDE survey had identified around 122 educational institutes in urban areas of the capital where boundary walls had to be raised and other security measures needed to be put in place, but no practical steps have so far been taken on this front.

The project became a bone of contention between the Public Works Department (PWD) and CADD as the former was willing to work over it, but CADD wanted timely construction so with Ministry of Housing and Works secretary and other officials’ intervention, PWD was forced to withdraw.

According to sources, however, PWD kept lobbying for the contract, but another bid to build boundary walls at 22 colleges has already been awarded.

CADD Secretary Hanif Khalid said the issue between PWD and CADD has been resolved and the boundary walls will be erected within days. He had no updates on the damages bills.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2015.