The Directorate of Civil Defense has discovered a number of serious security and safety violations in public schools. The findings come after a string of fire accidents which took place in girls' schools, most tragically at Baraem Al-Watan School in Jeddah. Brig. Ghalib Ghazi Al-Juhani, director of the safety department at the Civil Defense, said there were several violations such as tampering with safety equipment and the closing off of emergency passages and exits. “We're constantly coordinating with the Ministry of Education to ensure all schools have the necessary safety equipment to deal with any emergency. We will train schools on evacuation plans and find solutions to reduce accidents caused by tampering with fire and safety equipment and devices,” he said, according to a report in Al-Watan newspaper. Al-Juhani said that a large number of schools do not have their fire and safety systems inspected periodically and others have cracks in walls from which water leaks. He also criticized schools for using substandard electrical products and for using unsuitable electric load distribution. “Regarding safety regulations, the directorate requires educational buildings to have the necessary safety equipment to prevent fire accidents and ensure the safety of students,” he said. Since the recent fires, educational administrations throughout the Kingdom have realized how inadequately they are prepared for fires. They have now directed that schools allocate 15 minutes every year on March 1 (Civil Defense Day) to explain how safety equipment is used and to deal with fire risks.
