The Department of Education (DepEd) plans to distribute metal detectors to all public schools nationwide to deter students from smuggling knives and other deadly weapons onto campus.
Speaking during the Ceremonial Signing of Implementing Rules and Regulations for the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System Act, Education Secretary Sonny Angara explained that a recent internal audit highlighted an urgent need for enhanced security equipment.
“Based on our audit, a number of schools need metal detectors which are important because there are students who are carrying knives and other items,” Angara stated.
The move follows high-profile incidents of campus violence across the country, including a knife attack at a school in Las Piñas City and an unprecedented mass shooting incident in Tacloban.
Addressing financial constraints, Angara pointed out that purchasing security equipment is a far more practical alternative to hiring additional security personnel for every facility nationwide.
“We are already procuring them because it only costs thousands of pesos. And we will provide all schools with that,” Angara added.
While DepEd previously considered hiring dedicated campus security guards, the plan remains on hold due to budget limits.
To fill the gap, the department has partnered with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to deploy police officers and local barangay security personnel (tanods) around school perimeters, ensuring a visible security presence to protect both students and faculty.