How dogs and cameras helped tame rowdy boys of school in Embu

A secondary school in Embu County has recorded improved security and ended drug abuse after investing in sniffer dogs.

Nyangwa Boys High has also invested in a CCTV system and had their security guards trained by Administration Police officers to build their capacity in combating intruders.

The trained guards also help the administration detect students’ behaviour that could degenerate into riots.

The school is now reaping from the enhanced security measures as it has recorded improved performance.

Nyangwa Principal Musyoka Moshe said a few years earlier, the school experienced massive cases of indiscipline among students and occasional theft of property.

TRAINED DOGS

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“This was due to poor installation of security apparatus in the school as is the case with many other schools. The management had engaged elderly and unqualified security guards. They were poorly paid and consequently weak and unmotivated hence could not run, hide or fight intruders,” said Mr Moshe.

He said the school bought five German Shepherds that were trained by the police dog unit, hence are as effective as police dogs.

The school’s head of security department Geoffrey Njiru said the dogs have made patrolling easier.

“Some four and a half years ago, boys would sneak out of school to the nearby Kiritiri market. They can’t dare do that now since they fear the dogs. The dogs are trained to sniff drugs and since we acquired them, we can say Nyangwa is a drug-free zone,” said Mr Njiru.

He said the police had also trained the guards on disaster management, preventing strikes and maintaining good relations with everybody in the school hence students love and appreciate their work.

Moshe said the school installed CCTV cameras after receiving 25 computers from the Ministry of Education.

They are installed in corridors and the compound, except in locations where they could intrude on students’ privacy, and are backed up by solar power and a hidden monitor to counter their disabling.

“The boys are relaxed and comfortable that the school is well secured hence able to concentrate on class work. Our performance has moved from a mean of 6.2 points to 9.5 points in the last five years,” said Moshe.

The school was the first in the sub-county in 2015 KCSE and among top five in the county.

Moshe, who is also the Mbeere South Head teachers’ Association chairman, has now embarked on training other school principals on bolstering security. He wants them to engage strong and professionally trained people as security guards and ensure they are well motivated.

Moshe also appealed to the Government to consider funding security apparatus in schools.

“The Government can for instance pay for half of the security personnel while the school can employ the rest,” he said.