Anjuman School, Panjim
There’s a very fine line that separates school from mosque at the Anjuman Nurul Islam High School. As the call for the afternoon Namaz rings the air around the mosque at Panjim, all women cover their heads and maintain silence. The afternoon Namaz sees the corridors and staircases of the school, which lies within the precinct of a mosque filled with Muslims on bended knees engrossed in prayer.
Class resumes after the prayer is over, in some cases the classrooms shut their doors to separate them from the praying people.
Entering a classroom when class is on will definitely get you noticed, but not at all if you want to walk up and down the stairs where the school is. The building where the school lies is more mosque and less school. Students choose to loiter around the mosque or walk in and out if they happen to find themselves free. You enter the building and no one will bat an eyelid.
Mushtifund School, Panjim
One of the State’s oldest school, located in the heart of the Capital city, Mushtifund High School, known for its top notch academics in high school, however lacks security of its students.
The entrance of the school (on Dr Dada Vaidya road), is right next to Mahalaxmi temple, ans is easily accessible to any-unknown person, with no security personal seen. The school management is yet to tackle these perceived security concerns.
This reporter managed to enter the school from its main gate and with no hindrance went upto the first floor of the school. Interestingly, the reporter also greeted one of the teachers, who too did not question the entry.
More surprising was that when the teacher was asked about a girl student studying in standard VII, the reporter was guided by the teacher to the class room.
Even after the incident at the Vasco School, teachers do not seem to be very security conscious.
Mary Immaculate, Panjim
Being a girl’s school, security is a major issue, which I guess must be haunting the parents, especially after the Vasco incident. However, even being one of the reputed schools, does not look as if security of the students is a priority and school gates were open in the afternoon.
The school gates-front and behind, were locked during the school hours with entry of parents restricted. However, when the gates opened around 1.15 pm, the huge crowd that was gathered outside the gate to pick their kids flowed inside the school, with no one to check identities. In such situation, it won’t be of much surprise, if some untoward incidents take place as walking in and out is unhindered. The reporter also managed to enter the school complex. However, the only interesting part was that two cops were seen keeping vigil on school from its back gate.
