The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Monday that nearly half of public schools have security cameras, following the rise of school-related violence across the country.
“Right now, around 49% of our schools are equipped with CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras,” DepEd Assistant Secretary for Governance and Operations Roger B. Masapol told the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Culture in Filipino.
“That means either the schools or the LGUs (local government units) have really stepped up,” he added.
The school shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban in June prompted the agency to conduct a security and safety audit, where it found that only 36% of schools are equipped with CCTVs.
Based on its recent audit, Mr. Masapol noted that funding for the increased surveillance cameras came from the school’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), LGUs, and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs).
“It’s a combination of these sources, especially in small [schools] where LGUs usually donate, while in big schools it’s a combination of MOOE and LGUs,” he said.
“In NCR (National Capital Region), the majority of our LGUs gave out this kind of equipment to our schools,” he added.
The agency has established guidelines on schools’ security equipment through DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, or Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment (ESMLE).
Under the order, large, mega-large, or very large schools with 1,001 to over 8,501 students shall have at least 20 CCTV cameras on campus.
Meanwhile, medium-sized establishments with 501 to 1,000 learners and small institutions with fewer than 500 pupils shall install at least 10 and five cameras, respectively.
In addition to CCTVs, DepEd has also reported an increase in on-campus security personnel, such as watchmen, blue guards, and some volunteers.
The DepEd official said schools nationwide have ramped up safety officers to 43%, up 11.3% from 31.7% in its first audit.
“The majority of this is in NCR. Almost all schools in NCR have security guards,” Mr. Masapol said.
On Wednesday, DepEd is scheduled to sign an agreement with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to enable the deployment of barangay watchmen and increase police visibility in schools. — Almira Louise S. Martinez