School security bolstered for new semester
- Source: Global Times
- [08:50 August 31 2010]
- Comments
By Liu Dong
Alarm systems and tighter security measures have been extended to all licensed educational institutions from kindergarten to high school level in preparation for the new semester, which for many schools starts tomorrow.
Peng Xingbao, deputy director of the social security department of Shanghai Public Security Bureau, said at a recent news conference that the alarm systems give schools a direct line to their local police station in case of an emergency.
"When a member of school staff pushes the alarm button, the local police station will be alerted in 20 seconds, and will immediately send officers to the school," Peng said.
Security teams at schools will also be strengthened, he said.
According to Gong Dehui, principal of Shanghai Pinghe Bilingual School in Pudong New Area, the alarm system can be activated by either of two buttons, one in the security guards' room and one in her office.
"We have put great effort in to the security issue," Gong said. "All parents who pick up their children from our school need to show their ID cards to confirm their identities at the security gate."
Authorities also said that all licensed schools in the city have been asked to install camera monitoring systems to cover their entire premises, and for these to be directly linked to police systems so that they can be monitored in real time.
Yang Yongqing, director of Shanghai Youth Protection Committee, Monday told the Global Times that all schools were required to have at least two qualified security guards armed with rubber batons on duty, while schools where students board are required to have double the number of guards.
"The security guards need to hold relevant qualifications, be well trained and have no history of mental illness," Yang said. "They should be able to operate the monitoring equipment and handle potentially dangerous situations effectively."
Cai Yinji, mother of a second-grade student at Shanghai Qiuzhi Primary School in Xuhui district, Monday told the Global Times that she thought it was very necessary to strengthen the security control in schools to ensure the safety of students.
"I felt pretty safe when I saw four armed security guards at the school gate as I took my daughter to school to collect preparatory material for the semester," Cai said.
According to police, 5,394 officers have carried out 3,471 security checks at and around schools and have solved 278 safety problems in the run up to the new semester.
In the last five months, there have been seven incidents of schools or kindergartens being attacked across the country, leaving at least 22 children dead and dozens injured.
