Principals of girls' schools in the Eastern Province have been instructed not to call the Civil Defense to voice concerns over safety violations in their school buildings, said Lt. Hamad Al-Juaid, chief of the Civil Defense Department in the province. He said that there are many safety loopholes in the girls' schools threatening the lives of the little pupils. This is a legal negligence on the part of the Girls' Education Department in the Eastern Province, he said. The Civil Defense authorities have not been allowed to examine safety checklist in the girls' schools to bring them into compliance with safety regulations, he said. Upon denied access to the schools, the Civil Defense has decided to take the case against the Girls' Education Department to the Eastern Province Emirate, he said. The Civil Defense urges the Education Department to promulgate and implement regulations relating to the safety and security of students and teachers, he said. Many of those girls' schools are vulnerable to fire as seen in many incidents, Lt. Al-Juaid said. “We could not break the deadlock with the Education Department,” he said. “They turned their backs on our recommendations to remove steel fences from emergency exits and gates,” which would cripple rescue operations if needed, he said. Although the Girls' Education Department required that a representative from them to be present when inspecting the schools in the evening, nobody showed up for days, Al-Juaid said. – Okaz __
