Emergency system needed at primary schools: govt

A Beijing district government called for enhanced safety measures at kindergartens, middle and primary schools after 20 students were hurt in a hammer attack Tuesday morning in the city’s Xicheng district.

Four of the injured students from the No.1 Affiliated Elementary School of Xuanwu Normal School were operated on at the Xuanwu Hospital, and all were in stable condition, Li Jia, deputy Party secretary of the Xuanwu hospital, told a press briefing Tuesday night.

The suspect, surnamed Jia, was a school maintenance man under contract with a labor service company.

Wang Shaofeng, district chief of Xicehng, apologized to the injured students and their parents at a Tuesday press briefing.

He said the government departments of public security, education, health are investigating the case, and the public security department launched a high-level precautionary measure to enhance security work at schools in the district.

The Global Times learned on Tuesday that policemen had been dispatched to the school, where the attack happened, to protect children.

However, Wang Hongwei, a professor at China’s Renmin University’s School of Public Administration and Policy, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the case shows some schools are poor at dealing with emergencies.

He noted that the attack happened inside the school. The key is to “provide professional training for guards to make sure they can place the situation under control in the shortest time when an emergency occurs.”

He also said that, aside from teachers, security guards, janitors and other employees should also undergo strict psychological tests before starting work.

Many netizens slammed the school for failing to stop the suspect until 20 children were hurt.

“Was there any teacher or security guard on hand when the attack occurred?” Sina Weibo user Shuiqugongchang asked.

Net users also accused the school of not taking responsibility and showing no remorse to the children and parents.