Security threat: Public schools await funds as deadline looms

Rs112 million are yet to be transferred to public schools in Lahore.

LAHORE: As the January 9 deadline for taking enhanced security measures for schools and colleges draws close, funds for the purpose are yet to be transferred to public schools.

The Home Department issued a security plan on December 16. It required schools to strictly comply with a 24-point plan, including increasing the height of boundary walls to 8 feet, installation of CCTV cameras, hiring of trained guards, providing metal detectors and maintenance of visitors’ record.

Schools were to reopen on January 5, but the date was extended to ensure compliance. They are now expected to reopen on January 12. Schools have been asked to comply with the security measures by January 9.



In the wake of the Peshawar school attack, the government had announced winter vacations earlier than usual.

Amidst uproar during the recent Punjab Assembly session regarding the schools security situation, Law Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rahman had said that Rs2 billion had been released by the provincial government for the purpose.

Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan has also announced on Tuesday that only 750 schools out of 86,000 had yet to complete security arrangements.

The Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) has, however, complained of a lack of seriousness on part of the government. “A majority of schools are still unable to comply with the required measures owing to non-availability of funds,” PTU general secretary Rana Liaquat Ali said.

“If the government cannot provide the funds, then it is best not to make such announcements,” Ali said.

Education Executive District Officer Pervaiz Akhtar says availability of funds is not a hurdle in ensuring security measures at schools. “Rs112 million has been released for Lahore schools. However, the funds are yet to be transferred to schools,” he says. He would not reveal the number of schools that have received the funds.

District Education Officer (Secondary) Malik Liaquat says that the funds would be transferred to schools by Thursday (today).

“Fund allocations to schools will be made according to individual requirements. It will depend upon the number of CCTV cameras required to be installed, length of the boundary walls and barbed wires etc,” he said.

Responding to claims that no funds were being provided for schools with less than 500 students, he said that the schools not getting the funds did not fall in the categories that required funds for security. He said that they were schools that already had adequate security measures in place. PTU’s Ali says given the delay in with the release of funds, ensuring security measures by January 9 will be a challenge. School Education Department deputy secretary Mushtaq Sial, who is overlooking inspection in Muzaffargarh and Bahawalpur districts, says that ensuring supply of required materials and funds was the issue. He says the government schools are on track to meet the prescribed standards of security, but private schools are far behind. “Many think the government really isn’t that serious regarding security plan, but we will not spare any school,” he says.

He says the government has been focusing on ensuring schools adopted the security by January 12. However, he says, reopening will depend upon the completion of measures.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2014.