SCHOOLS SHOULD BANK CASH

THE terrorising of staff and security during a robbery at Lomagundi College by an armed 10-man gang on Tuesday night is a cause for concern. The robbers got away with a pistol, laptops, cellphones, a Mazda Tribute vehicle and an undisclosed amount of cash.

George Silundika High School in Nyamandlovu was also robbed of US$17 280 it kept on the premises on Saturday.

Keeping cash on school premises is a dangerous practice that needs to be stopped. Schools should urgently adopt a policy of banking their money and not keeping large sums of cash on their premises.

Many schools have been keeping cash on their premises for various reasons, but this practice has proved to be dangerous and only puts schools at risk of being robbed.

The recent attacks on Lomagundi College and George Silundika High School, as well as other schools which may have chosen not to report robberies to protect their image are a clear indication that criminals are targeting schools for their cash. These criminals have been taking advantage of the fact that schools are not doing enough to secure their premises. This is a worrying trend that should be curbed as it puts the safety of students and staff at risk.

Schools should start banking their money as soon as possible to avoid being a soft target for criminal gangs. It is the responsibility of school authorities to ensure that the money collected is secured in a bank rather than being kept on the premises. It is important to note that schools are not equipped to handle large sums of money and keeping large amounts of cash on their premises puts them at risk of being robbed.

In addition, boarding schools need to take more serious security measures to ensure the safety of their students and staff. Boarding schools are especially vulnerable to robberies as they usually have more money on their premises and are located in remote areas. They should invest in CCTV cameras, burglar alarms, and hire credible security personnel to ensure that their premises are safe and secure.

The safety of students and staff should be a top priority for boarding schools, and it is the responsibility of the school management to put measures in place that will ensure that their students and staff are safe at all times. Schools should not seek to cut costs by hiring fly-by-night security companies to secure their premises, as this highly compromises their safety.

Schools must instead engage reputable security firms and also liaise with their nearest police stations. This will create a conducive learning environment that will enable students to learn without the fear of being robbed or attacked.

The Government should also take an active role in addressing the issue by crafting a policy which prohibits schools from handling large sums of money. This will force schools to bank their money instead of keeping it on their premises.

Safety should be a top priority for all schools as it creates a favourable learning environment that enables students to learn without the fear of being robbed or attacked.