School Security and Safety

D.C. Nath, IPS (Retd.)

Former Special Director, IB (Govt. of India)
Executive President & CEO,
International Institute of
Security and Safety Management
Tel: 011 – 26186124 / 26186119
Email: nathdc@iissm.com
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 1

School Security and Safety

Objectives:
• To arrive at a proper understanding of the
problem.
• To understand the ramifications of the
problem.
• To exchange thoughts among all concerned.
• To appreciate who should play what role.
• To try to prioritise line of action.
Note:
I. Primarily for Day-Boarding Schools.
II. Applicable to Residential Schools also but will
need specific focus.
III. Based on Survey carried out among cross
section of general public, house-wives,
2/2/2007 teachers and students.
D.C. Nath 2

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 School Security and Safety
Nature of Threats:
• Kidnapping.
• Black-mailing.
• Threats through Cyber Channel.
• Misleading Telephone Calls.
• Safety Aspect: Accidents through
negligence.
• Earthquake and other natural calamities /
disasters.
• Quality and Quantum of Threats to be
assessed – need for periodical review and
assessment.
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 3

School Security and Safety

Major Players in the Game:

Government (Police, Educational

Authority / Fire Services / NDMA)
Parents

School Management General Public

/ Staff Major
Players Media

School Teachers
Students

™ All Angles and Arms of the Heptagon – equal

and same value – inextricably intertwined.
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 4

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 School Security and Safety
Role of Government
Police / Fire Services / NDMA
• Would like to hear from them directly.
• Doing their bit.
• Press Advertisement.
• Could go more into the electronic media,
popular channels, as often done by Kolkata
Police.
• Need for special response to school matters.
• Periodic Training in security, safety and
disaster management drills – role model
exercises.
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 5

School Security and Safety

Department of Education

• Advisory note to School Management that a

statutory Security and Safety Policy is
necessary and be implemented.
• Compliance mechanism be evolved.
• Institutionalised Interaction Body.

2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 6

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 School Security and Safety
Role of School Management

• Must adapt a Security and Safety Policy at

the Board Level – periodic appraisal –
review is must in the agenda of every
meeting.
• Can no longer be left to the Drill
Instructor, as is often the case.
• Definite Budget Allocation for Security and
Safety Management.
• Going for OSHAS Certification - something
like ISO Certification.
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 7

School Security and Safety

Role of School Management
• Arrangement for School Transport – a strong
feeling that this should be mandatory, i.e.,
not left to individual discretion.
• Details : Reliable Agency.
: Verification.
: Accountability assigned and
enforced.
• Transport Pool System: Need to go into
details.
• Escort duty in each transport.
• Communication with each transport – various
systems including use of GPS technology.
• Designated area for debussing inside school
premises.
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 School Security and Safety

Role of School Management

• Briefing and Stock-taking in Staff
meeting.
• Policy for Vendors outside school
premises.
• Liaison with local police.
• Engagement of reputed and recognised
Private Security Agency – their
responsibility and accountability – to be
discussed at length - IISSM can help in
this. Plainclothes duty also. Security
cannot come without cost.
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 9

School Security and Safety

Role of Teaching Staff
• Need for sensitisation – not correct that
teaching or enforcing security and safety
is not their job – security is everybody’s
business, as it is said in every security
assignment.
• Individual responsibility assigned and
willing accountability ensured.
• Exchange of information/thoughts in staff
meeting – in staff room.

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 School Security and Safety
Role of Teaching Staff
• Importance of teacher–parent interface –
frequent, if necessary.
• Guidance to students – to remain on guard
but to ensure against creating uncalled for
panic situation all the time – possible
display of educative documentary films on
security and safety.
• Teachers to earn students’ confidence -
enough confidence - so that they
(students) feel comfortable to share all
their thoughts, anxieties and
apprehensions.
• Special care for students below Class VI or
so.
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 11

School Security and Safety

Role of Parents
• The survey assigned highest priority to
parent’s role in this entire exercise-
“parent’s education equally important &
necessary”.
• Parents need to spend some time with the
ward/s.
• To encourage as a matter of daily routine
outpouring immediately on return home.
• Precautionary advice to wards at home –
address / telephone nos. – lesson from
actual incidents – to remain alert – to
generate confidence for sharing every tit
2/2/2007
bit. D.C. Nath 12

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 School Security and Safety
Role of Parents
• Case studies show most of the kidnappings
etc done by persons known to the victim /
family for some length of time.
• Necessary precaution on engaging drivers
for pool transport – cars / autos / rickshaws
(Lucknow case).
• Drill about Drop-off point – pick-up point -
enroute security.
• To report unusual behaviour pattern of
wards to school teacher any time.

2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 13

School Security and Safety

Role of Students:
: Need to be sensitised – without making
them feel panic-stricken.
: Must know / memorise addresses / names
/ important telephone numbers.
: No scope for indulging in dirty tricks often
picked up from the electronic media.
: Must be taught to develop confidence,
mental toughness and courage.
: Need to keep case history of behaviour
pattern of students – scope for
documentation by class teachers.
: Must report to class teachers anything
unusual.
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 14

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 School Security and Safety
Role of Media
• Criticality of Media’s influence, especially of
the electronic media, on impressionable
minds of students and hence the need for
exercising considerable caution in what
they portray in various episodes.
• Can collaborate quite fruitfully & effectively
with both the school management and the
police.
• Can help students develop confidence.

2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 15

School Security and Safety

Role of General Public
• Need for shaking off indifference and
developing general alertness in the
present-day security scenario – attitudinal
orientation for extending hands of
cooperation to authorities.
• Institutionalising a mechanism for periodic
interaction with school managment in
normal times also.
• Japan’s example some years back – yellow
flags.
• Article 51-A – Fundamental Duties – Need
to be aware of.

2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 16

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 School Security and Safety
Fundamental Duties
Article 51A.(*)It shall be the duty of every
citizen of India-
(a)to abide by the Constitution and respect its
ideals and institutions, the National Flag
and the National Anthem;
(b)to cherish and follow the noble ideals
which inspired our national struggle for
freedom;
(c)to uphold and protect the sovereignty,
unity and integrity of India;
(d)to defend the country and render national
service when called upon to do so;
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 17

School Security and Safety

Contd.
e) to promote harmony and the spirit of
common brotherhood amongst all the
people of India transcending religious,
linguistic and regional or sectional
diversities; to renounce practices
derogatory to the dignity of women;
f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of
our composite culture;
g) to protect and improve the natural
environment including forests, lakes,
rivers and wild life, and to have
compassion for living creatures;
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 School Security and Safety
Contd.
(h) to develop the scientific temper,
humanism and the spirit of inquiry and
reform;
(i) to safeguard public property and to
abjure violence;
(j) to strive towards excellence in all spheres
of individual and collective activity so that
the nation constantly rises to higher
levels of endeavour and achievement.
(* Constitutional (Forty – Second
Amendment) Act, 1976)

2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 19

School Security and Safety

Conclusion:
¾ Not a one-time affair.
¾ Need for definite security and safety
orientation at all levels.
¾ Difficult to secure or ensure regular willing
adherence to rules and regulations and
hence the need for laying down drills for
documentation – enhances better
observance and is conducive to better show
of accountability.
¾ As in all security scenario, the money spent
is worth in the long run – cannot expect
security, safety & peace at no cost.
2/2/2007 D.C. Nath 20

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School Security and Safety : An Appraisal

Thank you.

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