News
Extra-curricular efforts
View(s):
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- Police and army personnel stand watch
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- Keeping outsiders out
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- Barricades in place: Schoolboys file past security points
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- Getting back to normal
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- Police stand guard outside schools
Providing security for schools has been a concern not only for the Education Ministry (MoE) and security officials, but also for parents and students.
Until this week, parents, past pupils and teachers were requested to support the security programmes at schools.
Some of the parents were told to stand guard overnight, while others were told to help in carrying out checks of schools bags and manning traffic – including school vans.
Tight security was being maintained around schools with the help of parents. But some schools failed to follow instructions and allowed the parking of vehicles in close vicinity of the school.
On Thursday, the Education Ministry announced that parents should not be requested to guard schools during school hours.
This follows several complaints received by the Ministry that parents were inconvenienced by the schools’ request that they provide security for the school. The Ministry said it had observed even pregnant mothers standing at school gates, guarding their children’s schools.
The MoE said the tri-forces deployed at schools were adequate to provide security to schools, and that, in future, parents need not volunteer to provide security to schools.
From Monday, the responsibility will be partly back on school Principals to workout their own security arrangements.