Gov’t passes initiative for improving safety at schools

Georgia’s government has approved a set of measures to improve student safety at schools across the country, with both monitoring and training efforts set to be stepped up for the goal.

Within the initiative, the installation of security cameras on "outer and inner perimeters” at schools will be made mandatory.

Elementary education institutions will also receive changes to procedures of body checking students for prohibited items that could be used in physical attacks on fellow pupils.

The procedures will change from "personal search” to "contactless visual observation” of subjects and their search using metal detectors, with the new regulation also mandating presence of school representative during the process.

In addition, student wardens tasked with ensuring safety at institutions will now be required to submit written reports of measures taken for the aim.

Those applying for a job as a warden will also need to pass increased qualification requirements, including physical and practical preparations for their tasks as well as degrees in university- or professional education and the lower age limit of 21.

Measures to "better identify” risk groups among school students will be another component of the changes in school safety.

The initiative, developed by the Ministry of Education of Science and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was given green light at the governmental meeting on Wednesday.

It comes in the wake of a recent spike in student violence at a number of schools across Georgia, with some incidents ending in fatal results.