Singapore scores "A"s in a global index on child online safety – but some are contesting the complete opposite when it comes to physical safety in educational institution settings. Local authorities are in a race to clamp down on safety breaches in schools even as parents sound increasingly urgent calls for transparency, amid rising cases of child abuse, accidents and death.
2023 alone witnessed the case of a Primary 1 student who went missing for two hours before she was found locked in a school bus, as well as investigations into multiple abuse cases by preschool teachers to children as young as two years old. There was also the death of a 14-year-old student following a fitness trial. In 2024, similar incidents are still being reported.
An important thread connects these stories – most of these settings with minors may not have mandatory surveillance features, with a few incidents only surfacing due to eagle-eyed parents noticing physical changes in their children, or fears of going to school.
The urgent need to address these safety gaps is crucial to uphold the fundamental promise of a safe and supportive educational space for children. While closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be made mandatory in all pre-schools by July 2024, is passive surveillance a step towards prevention or cure?
Traditional CCTVs can only go so far
Due to privacy concerns, security cameras are unable to actively detect or censor faces. Additionally, with Singapore’s Early Childhood Development Agency’s impending CCTV camera ruling, pre-schools are further pressed on time and resources, such as security guards and on-site servers to manage and maintain a network of traditional CCTV cameras.
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More than a picture on a security monitor
The good news is that advanced data-driven video technology (video surveillance combined with AI) solutions are readily available. Because they are combined with artificial intelligence (AI), these customisable, data-driven solutions can make a significant difference in mitigating the impact of such incidents. By extracting valuable information, enhancing situational awareness, and aiding in the response and investigation processes, this innovative technology offers a powerful solution for creating a safer environment for children to thrive and excel.
In a school setting, this could mean having intelligent video solutions compound-wide, with the option to blur a child’s face for data privacy and identity protection, not unlike the way video conferencing tools allow users to blur their backgrounds during calls.
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Tied to a centralised, cyber secure video management software platform, school administrators or security teams can monitor activities in real-time across multiple entry points, revisit past events and are even empowered to predict problems before they happen. Thermal sensors detect human activity in restricted areas, and sound detection monitors building activity. Automatic incident detection alerts also ensure faster, more timely responses. With computing, recording and video storage taking place in the cloud, this also avoids physical strains on space and workers in the long run.
Safety for all who enter
Lawmakers and parents alike are aware of a school’s physical limitations – this is where smart technology partners can become the eyes and ears on the ground, 24/7.
As the July 2024 deadline approaches, Singapore’s education institutions must consider video solutions that go beyond security reinforcement. The old technology was adequate, but it still relied on some luck. Could a security officer spot an incident in the split second it happened and launch a swift and appropriate response before it was too late? Will a parent be able to determine the true cause of a child’s meltdown?
By leveraging AI and data analytics, data-driven video technology helps to facilitate real-time incident detection and even proactive responses to safety risks. Aside from safeguarding students and ensuring parents’ peace of mind, such technologies go a long way in helping schools establish stronger, more robust accountability. That way, schools can truly be a place of fun, learning, and, most importantly, safety for all.
Malou Toft is the vice president for Asia Pacific at Milestone Systems
