Ministry of Interior announces new measures for schools: X-ray and camera systems to be installed

With a circular titled 'School and Surrounding Security Measures' signed by Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi and sent to governorships, police, gendarmerie, and relevant ministries, security measures in schools will be increased.

In the new system, protective and preventive security measures along with early warning mechanisms will be adopted as a fundamental principle. Governorships will submit monthly reports on the measures taken and situations encountered to the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Interior.

X-RAY AND CAMERA SYSTEMS

The circular stated, "Within the framework of the School Security Checklist, physical security measures for all schools (school campus perimeter walls, entry-exit reception points, camera systems, item checks, controlled access, etc.) and other measures regarding occupational health and safety (fire, alarm, residual current relay, etc.) will be reviewed in coordination with national education directorates, and deficiencies will be addressed immediately.

Camera systems will be installed in schools to monitor both the interior and the surroundings, and it will be ensured that existing security camera systems are kept operational," the statement read.

ENTRY AND EXIT WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH A SINGLE DOOR

The circular included the following statements: "Physical barriers (walls, wire fences, etc.) around schools will be checked and deficiencies will be addressed; additional doors that are not mandatory for the entry and exit of students and visitors will be closed, and it will be ensured that entry and exit are carried out in a controlled manner through a single door. Risk signs emerging in digital media, as well as physical or verbal displays of violent tendencies, threatening language, control issues, and aggressive behavior patterns will be carefully monitored, and early warning and early intervention mechanisms will be operated effectively. While carrying out intervention and referral work for students considered to be in the risk group, coordination between institutions will be ensured with the cooperation of parents, and necessary monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up mechanisms will be established. In order to support students' development and reduce risk factors that may negatively affect them, developmental and preventive guidance work will be carried out effectively as a priority. Efforts to empower families in the development of children will be increased. Digital well-being studies aimed at increasing the skills of students, teachers, and parents against digital risks will be expanded."

FIXED 'SCHOOL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER' BASED ON RISK FACTOR

The circular continued: "Taking into account the risk factors of schools across the country, sensitivity will continue to be shown in assigning a 'School Law Enforcement Officer' to serve permanently in schools with a high priority rating, and a 'Safe Education Coordination Officer' who will be in constant communication with the school administration in other schools."

MOTORIZED TEAMS OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL GATE

The circular stated: "Law enforcement visibility will be increased during school entry and exit hours; if needed according to the security priorities of the schools, a motorized team or foot patrol capable of intervening and in constant contact with the school administration will be assigned outside the school garden gate. Patrols and inspections will be intensified in blind spots around schools, abandoned structures, parks, internet cafes, gaming halls, and routes where students are concentrated. By strengthening the capacity of our cyber units, emphasis will be placed on cyber patrol activities, and dangers on the internet as well as posts made from social media accounts will be meticulously followed, and necessary actions will be taken against those that constitute a crime. In order to prevent children and young people from accessing firearms or similar dangerous tools, joint work with school administrations, field inspections, intelligence work, and risk-focused practices will be increased; awareness-raising work will be carried out for parents who own licensed firearms for carrying or possession, and the fight against unlicensed weapons will be continued uncompromisingly."

WHICH MEASURES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED?

The full list of measures to be implemented within this scope is as follows:

1. In planning security measures in and around schools, the effective coordination of protective and preventive security measures and early warning mechanisms will be applied as a fundamental principle, based on a risk analysis-based approach.

2. Coordination based on continuous and rapid information sharing will be ensured between school administration, law enforcement, local administrations, health, and social service units.

3. Security planning will not be limited to physical measures only; it will be built on a multi-layered structure covering physical security, the human factor (student/staff/parent), the digital environment (social media and cyber space), and institutional processes.

4. Process modeling will be taken as a basis to identify potential risks before they occur, and in cooperation with school administrations, behavioral changes involving violence and social adjustment problems, as well as risks that may be created by threatening content on social media, will be evaluated as early warning indicators.

5. Protecting not only the physical but also the psychological safety of students, and the activity of guidance and psychological support systems against peer bullying, exclusion, violent tendencies, and traumatic situations will be part of the safe school approach.

6. Regular monitoring and evaluation of threats, radicalization tendencies, and copycat behaviors that may arise through social media and digital platforms will be included in the security approach.

7. Security planning and risk classifications will be periodically updated in line with new threat types, incident analyses, and field data to ensure a dynamic structure.

8. School safety will be planned by taking into account the dynamic structure of security risks based on the analysis of incidents occurring in and around the school's physical spaces, as well as the tendencies of different threat types (radicalization, exclusion, psychiatric disorders, etc.).

9. The physical security of school spaces and their surroundings will be classified under two main areas of responsibility, "indoor school areas" and "outdoor surrounding areas," based on the physical measures to be applied, and security measures specific to these areas will be planned and implemented separately.

10. Measures will be developed to include parents, teachers, and students in the process as active stakeholders of the security system."

The physical security measures to be increased regarding this subject are as follows:

1. Inspections regarding the requirement that public places such as coffeehouses, cafes, bars, electronic gaming centers, and places selling open alcoholic beverages must be at least 100 meters away from school buildings door-to-door will be increased.

2. Patrol activities for park areas located around schools will be increased, and in coordination with law enforcement units and in cooperation with local governments, the installation of security camera and lighting systems will be ensured, especially in those that are risky in terms of drug use and different types of crime.

3. Abandoned buildings and structures located around schools that pose a risk to the educational environment will be demolished immediately by Municipalities/Special Provincial Administrations.

4. Street vendors will not be allowed in front of or around schools, and the activities of businesses located around schools will be closely monitored to ensure that necessary measures are taken and inspections are increased to prevent the sale of addictive substances to children.

5. People who have no connection to the school and are considered to pose a danger to education and student safety will be prevented from waiting and gathering in front of and around schools, and necessary actions will be taken against them.

6. In schools that do not have a place for shuttle vehicles to wait, shuttle waiting areas will be determined jointly by the school administration and law enforcement units, and private vehicles will not be allowed to enter the school yard.

7. Traffic regulations in front of and around schools will be examined by our traffic units and additional measures will be planned; deficiencies identified in these areas (traffic signs and plates, railings, overpasses, etc.) will be completed in coordination with relevant institutions and organizations."

Law enforcement measures and inspections to be increased:

1. Taking into account the risk factors of schools across the country, sensitivity will continue to be shown in assigning a "School Law Enforcement Officer" to serve permanently in schools with a high priority rating, and a "Safe Education Coordination Officer" who will be in constant communication with the school administration in other schools.

2. Law enforcement visibility will be increased during school entry and exit hours; if needed according to the security priorities of the schools, a motorized team or foot patrol capable of intervening and in constant contact with the school administration will be assigned outside the school garden gate.

3. Patrols and inspections will be intensified in blind spots around schools, abandoned structures, parks, internet cafes, gaming halls, and routes where students are concentrated.

4. By strengthening the capacity of our cyber units, emphasis will be placed on cyber patrol activities, and dangers on the internet as well as posts made from social media accounts will be meticulously followed, and necessary actions will be taken against those that constitute a crime.

5. In order to prevent children and young people from accessing firearms or similar dangerous tools, joint work with school administrations, field inspections, intelligence work, and risk-focused practices will be increased; awareness-raising work will be carried out for parents who own licensed firearms for carrying or possession, and the fight against unlicensed weapons will be continued uncompromisingly."

Measures to be implemented for psychological support:

1. Risk signs emerging in digital media, as well as physical or verbal displays of violent tendencies, threatening language, control issues, and aggressive behavior patterns will be carefully monitored, and early warning and early intervention mechanisms will be operated effectively.

2. While carrying out intervention and referral work for students considered to be in the risk group, coordination between institutions will be ensured with the cooperation of parents, and necessary monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up mechanisms will be established.

3. In order to support students' development and reduce risk factors that may negatively affect them, developmental and preventive guidance work will be carried out effectively as a priority.

4. Efforts to empower families in the development of children will be increased.

5. Digital well-being studies aimed at increasing the skills of students, teachers, and parents against digital risks will be expanded.

6. School safety will be ensured immediately following violent incidents to create a healthy educational environment, and psychosocial support services will be continued for students, teachers, and parents affected by the incident."

Measures regarding cybersecurity:

1. Threatening content targeting schools, students, and staff in the internet environment will be monitored by school administrations regarding complaints and by law enforcement units regarding cyber detections.

2. When targeting, cyberbullying, and violent content are detected via social media, all relevant units will be notified without delay.

3. Risky digital trends will be analyzed within the scope of open-source intelligence.

4. Cybersecurity awareness training will be organized for students and teachers.

5. Cyberbullying and digital ethics, safe internet use, personal data security, suspicious content, and fraud will be included in the scope of cyber awareness training.

6. A cyber incident response procedure will be established in schools.

7. A rapid notification mechanism (school administration + law enforcement) will be established for use in suspicious situations.

8. An incident database will be created by recording cyber incidents that are subject to notification or complaint by the school administration or that can be detected from open sources.

9. Schools will work in coordination with law enforcement units and relevant public institutions regarding cybersecurity.

10. Cybersecurity measures will be periodically audited and updated.

11. A school-based cybersecurity plan will be prepared in line with risk analyses.

12. Violent tendencies and radicalization indicators emerging in the digital environment will be evaluated within the scope of early warning.

13. The data obtained will be integrated into the school safety risk analysis system."

EMERGENCY PLANS WILL BE PREPARED

Governorships, district governorships, law enforcement units, national education directorates, health organizations, and relevant institutions will review intervention sequences and coordination procedures for potential incidents to strengthen first-response capacity. In line with the Ministry of National Education's Circular No. 2021/13 on Disaster and Emergency Management, "Emergency Plans" including protection, rescue, and evacuation procedures against extraordinary situations such as fire, natural disasters, security threats, etc., will be prepared, and sensitivity will be shown to their implementation.

In addition, information and awareness-raising efforts will be increased to help families recognize behavioral changes, risk signs, and negative tendencies in digital media in their children at an early stage. Preventive and awareness-raising work against safe internet use, social media, virtual bullying, threats, glorification of crime and criminals, posts themed around weapons and aggression, and negative role models emerging in digital media will be carried out together with all relevant stakeholders. Awareness-raising work focused on media literacy and family guidance will be carried out in a planned manner against the normalization of violence, the glamorization of crime, and the encouragement of weapon use through TV series, films, digital broadcasts, and popular culture elements. Necessary contact will be established with relevant NGOs, institutions, and organizations, especially education unions, to prevent wrong perceptions that may arise in the public, and appropriate information and consultation processes will be carried out to strengthen the sense of trust. Public information regarding incidents will be provided only based on confirmed information, in a timely and responsible language; necessary actions will be taken decisively against provocative posts, content praising crime and criminals, and disinformation attempts."