Madurai: With schools in Tamil Nadu set to close by April 30, teachers of govt schools have called on district administrations and school education department officials to ensure the protection of the school campuses during the summer holidays. This is especially important as all schools now have smart classrooms and equipment in labs worth lakhs.
In Madurai district alone, there are around 475 schools with hi-tech labs and 744 govt primary schools with smart classrooms. These schools house a range of valuable equipment, including computers, screens (whiteboards or touch-operable displays), projectors, and sound systems, among others, worth lakhs of rupees.
"Currently, there is no security for this equipment overnight, but at least they can be monitored and checked on an almost daily basis. Some temporary security arrangements need to be made during the summer holidays. Security guards, night watchmen, or police personnel should be roped in to ensure protection," said P Sreenivasan, Madurai district secretary, Tamil Nadu Primary School Teachers Federation (TNPTF). He added that in case of any damage to or theft of govt school properties, only school headmasters and teachers are held accountable, even though it is not in their control.
"There is a constant danger of anti-social elements trespassing into the school premises, especially in rural or remote areas. Valuable items may catch the eye of burglars. CCTV camera surveillance can help provide security, but the govt is yet to provide its own CCTV camera coverage in govt schools. Having CCTV cameras would also ensure security in the long run, even during school hours," said a teacher. At present, only some govt schools have CCTV cameras set up on their premises, with teachers or organisations donating them on a voluntary basis.
The TNPTF has written to Madurai district chief education officer A Renuka, appealing to take steps to ensure tightened security in govt schools. "Recently, considering safety concerns, the education department officials in Ramanathapuram district sought the aid of police and local bodies in providing security to govt schools, and the same can be considered for implementation in all districts," added Sreenivasan.