Making schools safe

The so-called security measures are being taken to combat any untoward incident the danger of which is being foreseen by our security agencies. High level meetings at provincial and district level are held every day. Raising the boundary walls of schools where possible, putting barbed wires and security barrier in school premises and hiring security personal on voluntary basis are some of the precautionary measures being prescribed by the concerned department. It seems that in the coming days our school present a military barricade look instead of place of learning. School administrations and high up are unaware of the productiveness and fruitfulness of the security measures. They even don’t know whether that would really work or not. They have received the order from high up and so they want it to do by the people under them. Before taking any measure one must think whether our schools are safe place or not? Whether our children are able to learn under constant security threat? As many of the child psychologists assert that safe and secure environment is the first prerequisite for smooth learning. Security for the sake of only security does not serve any purpose unless it guarantees a full proof environment. Will our schools be safe enough after the prescribed security measure or they will prove another carnage point for the barbaric terrorist minds? Is the government serious enough to protect our new generation or the so called measure will prove futile? Do the security measures show the seriousness on the part of the government or it is just fulfilling the order from above? In the past many provincial government promised full proof security arrangement for the schools but all they proved to be unsuccessful. This seriousness of the government is evident from the fact that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there are more than 4000 public sector education institutions without any boundary wall and toilet facility. Finally, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the home department have any link with the contextual needs of the specific region of the province or they have just been dictated by others? My humble suggestion to the government is kindly secure the future of the young generation not at the cost of their precious lives.]]>