E-Paper
Punjab to install CCTVs, sound systems in 5,456 schools; seeks funds from Centre
The installation of CCTVs and public address systems has been proposed in the annual work plan and budget for the financial year 2020-21 submitted to the MHRD about 10 days ago under the centrally- sponsored ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’
The Punjab government has decided to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and public address systems in all its schools to ensure children’s safety.
The school education department, which started releasing funds for having this apparatus in some schools a few weeks before the coronavirus-induced national lockdown was imposed in the start three months ago, has sought Rs 7.5 crore from the Centre for installation of CCTVs and public address systems in 5,456 schools across the state.
The installation of CCTVs and public address systems has been proposed in the annual work plan and budget (AWP&B) for the financial year 2020-21 submitted to the Union ministry of human resource development (MHRD) about 10 days ago under the centrally- sponsored ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’. The proposal will come up for discussion before the project approval board headed by the Union school education and literacy secretary Anita Karwal in about 10 days.
As per the proposal, CCTV cameras will be installed in 1,796 government schools across the state under the ‘Safe School-Safe Child’ programme. “The need of the hour is to ensure our children are secure and feel safe. Vigilance and keeping an eye out for any anomaly or deviations in their behaviour is something that we can all do to fortify ourselves in this fight,” reads the proposal.
A school education department official said that CCTV cameras will be installed in all 19,000-odd government schools in stages, starting with girls’ schools, sensitive schools from where complaints have been received, and then all co-educational schools. “Some schools have installed CCTV cameras with their funds. We also released funds a few months ago, but the installation process got delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak,” he said.
The CCTV cameras will be installed at school gates, corridors and spots that need to be monitored, but not in classrooms.
In Delhi, the Kejriwal government’s move to install CCTV cameras in classrooms last year had sparked off a controversy with some parents and teachers raising objections. In addition to CCTVs, the Punjab school education department also plans to install a public address system in 3,660 high and senior secondary schools this year for emergency broadcasting and other announcements.
FOCUS ON ENGLISH DICTION, VOCABULARY
The department, in its annual plan proposal, has also laid emphasis on new initiatives to improve the English reading, listening, and pronunciation skills of students of government schools across the state. It plans to establish listening labs in primary schools to begin with and then have more for higher classes to foster their listening skills and improve pronunciation. Another proposal sent to the HRD ministry is for the distribution of student edition of English newspapers free of cost to students of 3,660 high and senior secondary schools to inculcate the reading skills among them, besides improving their knowledge of current affairs. The state authorities have proposed a budget of Rs 12.6 crore for this activity during the current academic year.
