School guards in Beijing will start to wear police equipment from September 1 to ensure campus safety in the upcoming new semester, according to a new campus security rule, Beijing Morning News reported.

The new rule, issued by the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, requires school guards in Beijing's schools and kindergartens to wear anti-riot helmets, stab-proof vest, anti-cut gloves and baton.

The heavily-armed security guards will carry out safety patrols twice a day, one hour before and one hour after school, and each patrol will have at least two guards.

Surveillance cameras will also be installed at school gates and directed at people going in and out at the start and end of the school day. Suspicious people will be reported to the school security department or police station.

Beijing currently has 4470 elementary schools, secondary schools and kindergartens. Only 1284 of them have school guards.

"This new rule will turn what's only sometimes practiced into a standard system," said one elementary school office worker. He said school guards had been told to wear more equipment and conduct more patrols since a spate of vicious attacks on school children began earlier this year.

On May 12, a man attacked a kindergarten in northwest China and killed nine people, including two adults, leaving 11 other children in hospital. It was the fifth such school rampage in less than two months.

Police forces nationwide have been ordered to step up security at kindergartens and schools ever since. An emergency circular issued by the Ministry of Public Security also called for harsh punishments of criminals who attacked school children in order to deter potential attackers.

(CRIENGLISH.com August 26, 2010)