Concrete boundary walls with three to four gates, round the clock guards, CCTV cameras and proper illumination at night are among the guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Union Home Ministry to schools across the country in the wake of the attack on an Army-run school in Peshawar.

The SOPs have been circulated through competent authorities to all schools and asks principals to be ready with a comprehensive action plan, official sources said.

“Details of telephone numbers of the Police Control Room (PCR) and the local police station should be maintained and updated regularly by school authorities,” the SOPs mention.

Noting that the Taliban terrorists had scaled the boundary wall of the Army school in Peshawar, schools have been advised to put up concertina wire on iron grills on the boundary wall. The advisory says CCTV cameras should be able to store at least three days' recordings.

The guidelines spell out steps to be taken in case of random firing, armed intrusion, hostage crisis or bomb attacks.

In case of a terror attack or a hostage situation, the SOPs suggest that students and teachers should not rush out. Doors should be shut from inside and students should lie low in the classroom to escape random firing. The MHA has asked the police to make a list of prominent schools in their area and nominate a nodal officer to look after security arrangements in the school.

The Commissioner for Public Instruction Mohammad Mohsin said schools would be penalised for non-compliance to the guidelines.

Source: TH