The Chronicle

BULWAYO, Saturday, December 1, 1991 — In an effort to curb the increasing cases of burglary at schools, the Bulawayo City Council will introduce dog patrols in council-owned schools, the director of Housing and Community Services, Cde Isaiah Magagula, said yesterday.

In an interview in Bulawayo, Cde Magagula said school caretakers would be given trained dogs to help them man the schools, especially at night.

“The city council will definitely go ahead with implementing its proposed plan of introducing dog patrols in the schools. We will, however, first work on a pilot scheme before implementation,’’ said Cde Magagula.

Last year, many parents — teachers’ associations suggested to the city council that caretakers should be provided with trained dogs to help curb burglaries.

At a prize-giving ceremony at Mhali Primary School yesterday, the headmaster, Cde Samuel Moyo, expressed concern at the rising incidence of burglary in schools. He said his school had been broken into on several occasions although it has a fixed alarm system.

Cde Moyo said the school lost gas and electric stoves, a sewing machine and some utensils, among other things.

“The scheme to introduce dog patrols in schools at night must now be implemented to safeguard equipment,’’ he said.