It has taken a rude wake-up call to realise that our schools might not be safe after all. The unfortunate incident in which a 17-year-old schoolgirl shockingly attacked her teacher at St Andre in Nyamirambo, Kigali with a machete, exposed the dangers children are exposed to while at school.

It is an indictment on schools as far as security is concerned. Many parents and visitors to schools across the country attest to the fact that criminals can easily sneak into a school without detection as many of them do not check people entering their premises.

This explains how a student could enter into a school with a machete unnoticed. If the school’s security personnel had done their job, such an unfortunate incident could have been prevented. The attack has, therefore, brought to the fore the ugly truth that some schools have abrogated the responsibility of protecting those within their premises. Safety for students and other people in schools is a must, and should be taken seriously by administrators in this error of terrorism. Letting down our guard results in fatal or near fatal incidents. It is high time schools and all education stakeholders worked to ensure safety of our children while they are at school.

On the other hand, it’s not uncommon for people to complain when gatekeepers ask to search them. Complying with security guidelines promotes the safety of everyone. Therefore, co-operation with security personnel at institutions will help prevent such incidents. It also deters other vices like students sneaking prohibited materials like drugs and pornographic materials into school.

Otherwise, the attacker at St Andre, the teacher and the students that witnessed the unfortunate incident need counseling to allow for psychological healing. Let’s all strive for security.