The horrific incident of cameras being found in washrooms of a private school in Karachi exposes the growing moral decay in our society. An educational institute that is supposed to build personalities and is often referred to as one’s second home of learning, installing hidden cameras in washrooms across the school is unfathomable. It is encouraging that the Sindh Education and Literacy Department immediately cancelled the registration of the Haracks School located in Safoora Goth, once apprised of the situation. It must be noted that hidden cameras placed behind a sheet with holes in the area of the washbasins were found in both boys’ and girls’ washrooms, which were also used by the staff. It was a teacher who had come across the hidden camera and had approached the provincial education department. Upon inquiry from the administration, the people concerned were unable to give any sound justification. Of course, how can they. No reasoning the administration would have given could justify such an act. This episode should raise concerns at educational institutes across the metropolis.
Considering the city’s vast area with about 27.5 per cent of school-age children, there are schools in almost every vicinity. It was reported in 2018 that around 500 schools in the city were unregistered, while a lack of government schools had given a rise to a total of 1,500 registered private schools. This fairly means that the metropolis houses over 2,000 schools alone. Add to this the number of coaching centres filling the gap of proper learning at government colleges. The incident of the private school in Safoora Goth clearly shows that our children are vulnerable to the ill-minds of some individuals. It is then upon the provincial education department to launch a city-wide campaign and pay a visit to all schools to thoroughly check classrooms as well as washrooms for any wrong doings.
We must understand that this incident alone will spread a sense of panic among all households, especially those sending their girls to schools. It could potentially lead to some parents pulling out their girl child from schools out of fear. In a country, where the number of out-of-school children between the ages of five to 16 years is at an estimated total of over 20 million, we cannot afford to put more back in homes.
