Stung by rising thefts in schools, Punjab to hire 2,012 watchmen

Faridkot, August 12

Days after it was reported in these columns that incidents of theft of computers, rations and gas cylinders from government primary and elementary schools had increased manifold and school heads were facing a tough time in keeping tabs on the thieves in the absence of watchmen, the Punjab Education Department has decided to engage 2,012 persons as chowkidar-cum-watchman for the government schools in the state. These watchmen will be paid a monthly salary of Rs 5,000 each. Sources said for the past over 15 years, no watchman had been hired for schools in the state.

Schools serving mid-day meals and having computer labs are vulnerable targets for thieves. Besides, in the absence of any security guard or watchman in the schools, some of these have become a safe haven for drug addicts who use the school buildings for consuming drugs and taking sedative injections. Schools often complain of empty injection syringes lying in the compound in the morning hours. In a letter to the district education officers, the Director of the department today said an amount of over Rs 1 crore would be provided to 2,012 government schools in the state (Rs 5,000 per school) to engage a chowkidar.

School management committees would select the chowkidar, who should preferably be a local resident in the age group of 32 to 60.

At present, teachers in several schools have hired watchmen by paying from their own pockets. In some villages, where drug addicts were believed to behind the thefts, the panchayats joined hands to depute security guards in schools at night. Pardeep Deora, Deputy DEO, Faridkot, said, “A majority of the government schools in the district do not have watchmen.”

While the police have not compiled any data about the theft cases in schools, it is estimated that over 200 incidents of theft have taken place in schools in Faridkot, Ferozepur and Moga districts in the past two years.

The department has also sanctioned Rs 2.89 crore for 7,440 government schools in the state to ensure proper sanitation. For cleaning of toilets and washrooms in the schools, the department has fixed Rs 3,000 to Rs 50,000 per month depending on the student strength. For a school having 100 to 150 students, the sanitation expenses are Rs 3,000 per month, for those having 501 to 1,000 students, Rs 6,000 per month, for those having 1,001 to 1,500 students, Rs 10,000 per month; for those having 1,501 to 5,000 students, Rs 20,000 per month; and for those having above 5,000 students, Rs 50,000 per month.

Over 200 cases in 3 districts

• The police have not yet compiled any data about the number of theft cases in schools
• Over 200 thefts are estimated to have taken place at various schools across Faridkot, Ferozepur and Moga districts
• Schools serving mid-day meals and having computer labs vulnerable targets for thieves