China tightens school security

Campus safety will be a critical factor in assessing the work of local governments administered by central China's Hubei province. The government's achievements will be nullified if any serious campus security breach occurs, said Yang Song, deputy head of the provincial committee of comprehensive management of public security, Monday in a telephone conference.

The province will hold government officials and school management accountable for any campus security breach and would enforce stern punishments, Yang added.

Hubei is among 18 provinces, regions and municipalities that have made similar pledges.

Provincial-level officials of north China's Hebei and Shanxi provinces on Monday inspected the security work of primary schools and kindergartens in provincial capitals of Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan cities, urging strict enforcement of campus security requirements.

The education authorities of 14 provinces, regions and municipalities held conferences to discuss how to improve campus security.

Senior officials of Beijing, Tianjin, Tibet, Hebei, Hubei, Shandong, Henan and many other provinces and regions on Tuesday inspected local schools in a bid to reduce campus security gaps.

Provincial governments ordered more police patrols near campuses, 24-hour ID checks at school gates and guards to be stationed in campuses.

Some larger cities took even stricter measures. In southwest China's Chongqing municipality, professional security guards with batons, handcuffs and pepper spray are now stationed in schools and kindergartens, according to a statement from Chongqing's public security department.

In many provincial capitals, security cameras had been installed in campuses and guards now had better equipment, according to statements from municipal governments, Kazinform has learnt from China Daily.

See www.chinadaily.com.cn