SANTOSH NAIK
Except for few top private schools in the town and villages providing strict security arrangements, majority of government and government-aided schools are without proper security guards.
However, teachers and headmasters in many schools without security arrangements, say there must be at least two security guards in each school to prevent sexual attacks from anti-social elements. However, in some schools the teachers and staff keep a check on individual level and even have registers to check entry and exit by outsiders.
In Ponda taluka there are around 200 schools which include primary and secondary sections. Only top schools, including St. Mary`s High School, Almeida High School and few schools in villages have security guards. Around 60 to 70 % primary and secondary schools are operating without sufficient security guards. This, sources say, causes worries to parents and the children’s security lies with the drivers and conductors of Balrath buses.
However, when this reporter visited St Mary`s School, he was stopped by the security who asked him to comply with the formalities and fill in the details before entering the premises.
The principal said he is monitoring the CCTVs installed in the premises. One of the senior teachers Ruby Rodrigues said since past many years the school has deployed good security guards. “We are still thinking of appointing one more security for safety and hope the government will provide financial assistance,” said Ruby.
However, when this reporter visited the Government High School Sadar, in Ponda town there was no guard at the gate. Many schools have the security of only compound walls.
Bardez, Pernem schools claim security in place
ASMITA POLJI
Bardez and Pernem high schools claim of providing proper security systems.
When we hear and see news highlighting issues related to schools and colleges where the students are being molested and abused, some high schools from Bardez and Pernem Taluka claimed that they have proper security systems in place.
When Herald team visited several schools of Bardez and Pernem, the concerned authorities refused to provide any official statements but claimed that their students and teachers are safe in their school premises. With the increase in number of crimes at state as well as national level, sources say, it’s tough for parents today to send their children to schools where the management has not provided proper safety to the students. Keeping safety and security of students in mind, almost all the high schools, government aided or private, are making sure they have a proper security service in their schools.
Claiming that they have proper security system in place, school sources said that their school is under CCTV surveillance where in the camera’s are installed in each class and corridor which monitors every person entering the schools. They also claimed that the cameras not only monitor the schools from inside but also the surroundings.
Sources also claimed that they have a security guard/ watchman on duty who keeps check on every person entering the school from parents to teachers and unknown people with their details on a register including the reason of visiting the school. Also if an unknown person enters the school claiming that he or she wants to meet the principal then that person is directly taken to principal office and is not allowed to loiter around in campus.
Some schools also have a lady assistant who keeps check on students who enter toilets so that the any boy or girl doesn’t enter in wrong toilet because incidents have also occurred where boys have entered in girls’ toilets and vice versa.
Since some of the schools do not have security guards, they claim that entrance and exit gates of the schools always remained closed for security purpose.
Many schools refused to give information regarding their security service saying that they don’t want any kind of publicity. They also said that these details provided by schools can be further misused by people and for security reason.
