HK Police Call for CCTV Cameras in Schools

Students and teachers will be surveilled daily at school

Hong Kong Police are becoming more active in the school system, calling for CCTV cameras to be installed in classrooms in a bid to ensure greater safety for students, but teachers fear it's a way to monitor what is said and taught in class.

Last week the HKPF launched a new website called Safe City Hong Kong and under "Security of premises" and "school" it suggests CCTV cameras be installed along with other security measures such as being aware of strangers in and around campus, drawing up contingency plans, setting up access control systems, and staying alert of incoming mail and deliveries.

Over police suggestions for school security

The HKPF is even calling for installing perimeter fencing of at least 2.8 metres in height, security guard booths, and infrared motion sensors, electric fencing and taut-wire tripping systems.

These suggestions make the schools sound like fortresses or top secret locations that need to keep intruders out rather than schools that are supposed to be welcoming places for learning.

Tech surveillance like facial recognition at the outdoor gates, canteens and classrooms have already been installed in many schools and universities in China since 2019 as a response to school shootings in the United States.

But some netizens have questioned the need to be so intrusive as to check up on students to see if they are dozing off in class or not.

Nevertheless, if the HKPF have it their way, similar "security" measures could be implemented in Hong Kong too. 

It's not a new idea -- pro-Beijing legislators had proposed the idea of installing CCTV cameras in classrooms in 2021 to monitor the content of classes and interactions between students and teachers. 

CCTV in schools has been proposed since 2021

But at that time then Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said schools wishing to install this surveillance technology would have to comply with government guidelines and privacy requirements as well as communicate with the parents and other stakeholders in advance.

If the cameras are being installed to prevent crime in schools and universities, then it makes no sense, as according to the police, crime committed by those between the ages of 10 and 20 fell by around 8 percent last year compared to the previous year.

When CCTV cameras are installed, going to school will be even more stressful than it needs to be...