Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The educational monitoring body known as the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has purchased Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras for its 385 educational institutions wherein irregularities of Rs 40 million have been revealed, Daily Times has learnt.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attack on Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar, in December 2014, as per available documents, the FDE has allocated Rs 100,000 to each of its 385 schools including four Area Education Officer (AEO) offices for the purpose of CCTV surveillance system installation so that the proactive security system could be ensured in the schools/colleges functioning across the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

The sources reveal that the FDE authorities, while purchasing and installing, neither consider the quality of equipment nor follow the legal procedure for this. “They purchased low-standard security cameras for the sake of pocketing money out of the way from sanctioned amount for the said institutions (Rs 100,000 to each) CCTV surveillance system”, said an official in the FDE wished not to be named.

The documents stated that the FDE management in the beginning had invited an open-tender for acquisition for CCTV cameras in accordance with the prescribed legal procedure.

Later on this process of invitation of bids was stopped and the purchase of the surveillance system was started on their own. The authorities did not bother about the rules and regulations. “This approach resulted deprived the qualitative equipment services and economy rates”, reads the document.

Later on, a four-member procurement committee was constituted in the FDE for the acquisition of CCTV cameras to follow the legal exercise. The committee authorised re-appropriation in this regard. It proposed that for the IP based CCTV surveillance system without UPS and wireless routers which was approved by the Secretary CADD at the disposal of 385 schools and four AEO offices.

The documents read that the secretary has approved that the UPS, wireless routers and internet connectivity would be procured. However, it could not be practiced as per nod made by the bureaucracy. The documentary evidences reveal that the UPS, internet connections, and wireless routers were not procured causing a poor functioning of CCTVs in a majority of the schools.

Moreover, this issue was also raised at the Special Audit Report (SAR) 2015-16 of the FDE and a copy of objections made in SAR was obtained by this correspondent. According to the SAR, the FDE management replied that it invited open tenders for procurement and installation of CCTV surveillance systems and the process was executed but the FDE received the bid which covers 262 institutions within the budget fragrant of Rs 40.00 million with the approval of principle accounting officer.

The FDE further informed the Directorate General Audit (DAG) that this was done keeping in view the prevailing security situation. However, the DAG seemed not satisfied over the justifications given by the FDE authorities. “The audit recommends that the responsibility (of irregularities) should be fixed regarding procurement, function of the CCTV surveillance system in the schools/colleges”.

Furthermore, after the APS attack, a mobile emergency system that was to be directly connected with police emergency cell phones as well as lifting the boundary walls of the institutions was also a part of the foolproof security measures.

More than a dozen security briefings have been arranged for all principals/security focal points with the help of the ICT police covering all educational institutions in the ICT. “All efforts were in-vain as when one notices the security situation of schools/colleges”, said an FDE official.

The Director Planning and Coordination, Muhmmad Taj, said that he was not responsible for this, adding that the director budget may be approached for answering such queries. However, the Director General, Shahnaz Raiz and the Director Budget Tahir Mustafa, could not be reached to get their version over the malpractice.