Peshawar massacre aftermath: Rawalpindi colleges get Rs60m for enhancing security
For schools, govt only releases Rs40m of promised Rs80m for boundary walls
The EDO said 600 posts for security guards had been advertised and their recruitment would start soon. PHOTO: INP
RAWALPINDI:
The Punjab government has released Rs60 million for security arrangements for colleges in four districts of the Rawalpindi Division. The fund was announced on the request of the Rawalpindi after Directorate Colleges the Peshawar school killings.
Colleges Director Humayun Iqbal confirmed to The Express Tribune on Tuesday that the amount had been transferred to the directorate’s account and work had started at all the colleges to ensure early completion of security arrangements.
He said in the first phase, boundary walls would be raised higher and mounted with barbed wires and CCTV cameras. “We have to complete all these arrangements before January 12 as we would open our colleges then at all cost to save time of students,” Iqbal said.
On the other hand, the provincial government has so far released only Rs40 million against the approved amount of Rs80 million for construction of boundary walls for around 340 schools in Rawalpindi.
After the Peshawar attack in December last year, the provincial government had approved Rs80 million for construction of boundary walls for around 340 schools in Rawalpindi.
The Executive District Officer (Education) Qazi Zahoorul Haq said they would try to complete all the arrangements as soon as possible.
He confirmed that the education department had so far received Rs40 million.
Haq said that schools would not be opened unless each school was granted a security [clearance] certificate for opening by the education department.
Besides, the provincial government had also announced recruitment of around 30,000 security guards for government schools all over Punjab.
The EDO said they had never placed a demand for recruitment of security guards.
“However, we have transferred and appointed around 150 security guards where needed [in the city],” he said.
The EDO said 600 posts for security guards had been advertised and their recruitment would start within next few days. Punjab Teachers Union President Hamid Shah said security guards would be hired for schools in the city. “There are around 320 schools in the city where student numbers are high enough to post the guards,” he said.
“From security point of view, schools in urban areas are [more] vulnerable compared to those in the rural areas,” he said. An official of the department, requesting anonymity, said they were yet to categorise schools from a security point of view.
Haq added that 127 private educational institutions were informed that they were “vulnerable” and asked to make proper security arrangements.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2014.
The Punjab government has released Rs60 million for security arrangements for colleges in four districts of the Rawalpindi Division. The fund was announced on the request of the Rawalpindi after Directorate Colleges the Peshawar school killings.
Colleges Director Humayun Iqbal confirmed to The Express Tribune on Tuesday that the amount had been transferred to the directorate’s account and work had started at all the colleges to ensure early completion of security arrangements.
He said in the first phase, boundary walls would be raised higher and mounted with barbed wires and CCTV cameras. “We have to complete all these arrangements before January 12 as we would open our colleges then at all cost to save time of students,” Iqbal said.
On the other hand, the provincial government has so far released only Rs40 million against the approved amount of Rs80 million for construction of boundary walls for around 340 schools in Rawalpindi.
After the Peshawar attack in December last year, the provincial government had approved Rs80 million for construction of boundary walls for around 340 schools in Rawalpindi.
The Executive District Officer (Education) Qazi Zahoorul Haq said they would try to complete all the arrangements as soon as possible.
He confirmed that the education department had so far received Rs40 million.
Haq said that schools would not be opened unless each school was granted a security [clearance] certificate for opening by the education department.
Besides, the provincial government had also announced recruitment of around 30,000 security guards for government schools all over Punjab.
The EDO said they had never placed a demand for recruitment of security guards.
“However, we have transferred and appointed around 150 security guards where needed [in the city],” he said.
The EDO said 600 posts for security guards had been advertised and their recruitment would start within next few days. Punjab Teachers Union President Hamid Shah said security guards would be hired for schools in the city. “There are around 320 schools in the city where student numbers are high enough to post the guards,” he said.
“From security point of view, schools in urban areas are [more] vulnerable compared to those in the rural areas,” he said. An official of the department, requesting anonymity, said they were yet to categorise schools from a security point of view.
Haq added that 127 private educational institutions were informed that they were “vulnerable” and asked to make proper security arrangements.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2014.