Govt to install sound systems, CCTVs in 5,456 state schools
CHANDIGARH: 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 centrallysponsored ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’. The proposal will come up for discussion before the project approval board headed by the Union school education and literacy secretary in 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 CCTV cameras will be installed in all 19,000-odd government schools, starting with girls’ schools, sensitive schools from where complaints have been received, and then all co-educational schools.
The CCTV cameras will be installed at school gates, corridors and spots, but not in classrooms. In addition to CCTVs, the school education department also plans to install a public address system in 3,660 high and senior secondary schools for emergency broadcasting.
FOCUS ON ENGLISH DICTION, VOCABULARY
The department, in its annual plan proposal, has also laid emphasis on initiatives to improve English reading, listening, and pronunciation skills of students of government schools. 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 is for the distribution of student edition of English newspapers free of cost to students of 3,660 high and senior secondary schools.