Govt schools, dependent on State funds, can't afford CCTVs

In the wake of the rape of a six-year-old student of the Vibgyor High school in Eastern Bangalore, schools are in the course of implementing stringent security measures to ensure safety of students.

While private schools have expressed concern that implementing the guidelines listed by the police would entail higher costs and are impractical, government schools say they don’t have the money to begin any sort of work and point to the State government as their only source of help.

C R Rajanna, a teacher and headmaster from a Government School in Sarakki says most schools would have very few security personnel. “It’s not like the private schools where you can hire private security guards. Government schools don’t have such heavy cash flows to afford private security.

There would be only attendants and ayahs. In some schools, there would be two persons, in other schools maybe four attendants and ayahs who will have to double up as security personnel. They will do whatever work is assigned to them. They don’t refuse to do because of fear of transfer and suspension. But that doesn’t mean they are under pressure all the time. A specific person will be told to monitor children in general until they go back home.”

The head master says government school children usually stay at a distance of 1-km or 2 km from the school. “Their homes being very close, they walk up to school with their parents. So there is no need for school cabs or buses. Sometimes some of them come in autos. So there won’t be need for security along the way.” He says some government measures like security and CCTVs are decisions made by the government and not the school or the parents.

Sujatha M, headmistress at the Hombegowdanagar school, agrees there are no exclusive security guards. Attendants do all the jobs. “But this doesn’t mean that we don’t want guards. If the government decides to hire people, it will be good.” She says the government and private schools differ in their cultural outlook and approach to social issues and so, many measures cannot be implemented.

 “In government schools, most parents come to the school to drop the children. In private schools, they may also be doing that, but a good number of families have their children dropped in school buses and do not come to the gate. I cannot generalise, but this trend is visible. Secondly, government schools do not hire people from outside for anything, gym or sports etc.

All attendants are employees of the State government and the school. So there is no need to hire anybody privately. Moreover, we don’t have gyms or squash courts or skating spaces. Whatever decision is taken has to be by senior government officials.”