Faridkot: ‘No watchmen’, rise in thefts at schools puts teachers in a fix

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, June 14

As incidents of thefts, including computers, ration and gas cylinders from the government schools (primary and elementary) has increased manifold, school heads are facing a tough time to keep tabs on miscreants due to the absence of watchmen.

The schools serving mid-day meals and having computer labs are often targeted by anti-social elements.

Incidents on the rise

Majority of the government schools in the district does not have watchmen. Though thefts are on the rise, the department has not compiled any data so far. —Pardeep Deora, Deputy district education officer, Faridkot

For the past 15 years, no watchman has been reportedly hired in the schools throughout the state. With ever increasing incidents of thefts, the Education Department has put the onus on school heads to fix the responsibility.

As a result, teachers at several schools hired watchmen from their own pockets. In some villages, where drug addicts were behind thefts, the panchayats joined hands to depute security guards at night.

Pardeep Deora, Deputy District Education Officer, Faridkot, said, “Majority of the government schools in the district do not have watchmen.”

He said though thefts were on the rise in the schools, the department had not compiled any data so far.

A senior police officer said, “Due to the absence of ‘chowkidars’, the schools are highly prone to thefts. Solving such cases is a tough task.”

Unable to nab the miscreants, the Faridkot police had come out with a unique plan.

They directed the school managements to shift the goods susceptible to theft to the house of a reputed person in the village daily after school hours.

A principal on condition of anonymity said, “We can shift the goods susceptible to theft during summer or winter break. It is not practicable to shift these items on a daily basis.”

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