Mumbai police have asked schools to raise4 height of their compound walls following Peshawar school attack
Mumbai police have asked schools to raise the height of their compound walls to beef up security. This follows the terror attack on a school in Pakistan's Peshawar recently that killed 132 students.
Meanwhile, BMC education committee chairman Vinod Shelar has urged education minister Vinod Tawde to withdraw a criterion in Right to Education (RTE) norms that stipulates every school should have compound wall. He said because of space constraints, it was not possible for city schools to follow this rule.
In the meanwhile, CBSE board has sent a set of guidelines to affiliated schools on security measures that they should follow in consultation with local police.
Shelar had a meeting with Vinod Tawde and principal secretary Ashwini Bhide and suggested that criteria on compound wall be removed. He has also submitted a letter to the minister requesting him to exempt old schools from building compound wall.
Shelar said: "I met the minister and principal secretary of education and have requested them to remove the RTE norm on compound wall. If this norm is removed, it will be easy for schools to get recognition which they require to renew every three years."
Asked if his views remained the same even after the Peshawar attack, Shelar said: "New schools can be asked to construct compound wall, but schools that were there before RTE should be exempted."
Mahavir Mane, director, primary education, said: "Most city schools don't have compound walls. The forest department don't permit schools on forest land to build compound walls. There are around 15,000 schools in the state that do not have compound walls."
Vinod Tawde, education minister, said: "We are going to make changes in RTE norms, as it's not possible for city schools to implement some. We have asked the Centre to make amends to RTE norms for our state. Not all schools can have compound walls, especially those in slums."
When reminded of the Peshawar attack, he said: "Whether a school requires compound wall or not will depend on information provided by the intelligence bureau."
Prashant Redij, spokesperson, Maharashtra Principal Association, said, "My school has a compound wall, but in Kandivli area where I stay, many schools don't have compound walls. In Mumbai, 60% of schools don't have compound walls. If a school builds a wall, BMC will demolish it saying it's illegal."
Compound walls
According to 2013-14 District Information System for Education (DISE) data, there are 23,753 secondary schools and 83.56% have compound walls. There are 96,179 elementary schools of which 76.4% have compound walls.
RTE criteria for schools
Schools should have building, office-cum-headmaster's room, staff rooms for teacher, ramp for disabled students, separate toilets for boys and girls, proper drinking water facilities, separate room for library, kitchen shed, boundary/compound wall and playground.
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