Universities to hire private security companies

Universities to hire private security companies
Some students seen on the campus of East Yangon University (Photo-Lwin Myo Thu)
Some students seen on the campus of East Yangon University (Photo-Lwin Myo Thu)
Published 23 July 2019
Lwin Myo Thu

Private security companies will be hired to provide their services in universities, said Dr Thein Win, Director General of the Higher Education Department. 

The department will no longer appoint daily wage staffers as security officers.

"We will not appoint service personnel. It will be better to hire security companies," said Dr Thein Win. 

The universities that proposed to hire private security staff will be allowed to do so. 

"Universities have to use their own budgets to hire for security. Frankly speaking, we will not appoint daily wage security staff. We will give full responsibility to security companies. The Institute of Education on Thaton Street will also hire a security company," said the director general of the Higher Education Department. 

He said some universities had already been hiring private services for security.

"Some universities have hired security companies. Pyay and Yadanabon universities have done so. If a motorcycle placed in a designated place is lost, the company will give a new one or money. If service personnel are appointed, there will be no compensation for any lost things. This is why we will hire private sector," said the director general. 

He added that coordination is being sought from police and local authorities to install CCTV cameras on the campuses of some universities. 

Some universities have experienced motorcycle thefts and female students being sexually disturbed. 

When State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi was visiting Yangon University on July 20, some students staged a protest demanding immediate release of ninth grader Tu Wai Yan from Mandalay, who is under detention, abolition of oppressive hostel disciplines and immediate release of students who were arrested under Section 19.