Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Concerned over repeated incidents of theft of IT or digital equipment from schools across the state, the Samagra Shiksha Assam (SSA) has directed district education authorities to strengthen security arrangements and ensure accountability at the school level.
In an official communication issued to District Mission Coordinators (DMCs), District Elementary Education Officers (DEEOs), and Inspectors of Schools, the SSA noted that valuable educational assets such as computers, tablets, Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs), and UPS systems have been stolen from several schools despite the presence of chowkidars or security guards.
Describing the incidents as serious security lapses, the SSA instructed all DEEOs and Inspectors of Schools to ensure that chowkidars posted in schools are assigned mandatory night duty. The chowkidars will be held accountable for any theft or security breach occurring during their duty hours.
The directive also makes it compulsory for school authorities to immediately report any theft, attempted theft, or security breach to the concerned police station. Cases of missing equipment without a formal police complaint will be treated as negligence, and responsibility will be fixed on the concerned officials, with strict action to follow, states the directive.
To further enhance security in schools, DMCs, DEEOs, and Inspectors of Schools have been asked to coordinate directly with the Superintendents of Police (SPs/SSPs) in their respective districts. They are required to share lists of schools equipped with interactive flat panels, tele-classrooms, and computer laboratories with the police and request increased police patrolling around these institutions.
The move comes amid growing concerns over the safety of digital infrastructure provided to schools under various government initiatives. SSA emphasised the immediate implementation of these measures to safeguard valuable educational resources and protect students' interests.
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