The Hidden Curriculum of Surveillance: School Securitization and the Cultivation of the Docile Citizen

Abstract

The proliferation of surveillance technologies (e.g., CCTV, biometric tracking, digital monitoring software) in schools is often justified under the discourses of safety and accountability. This paper employs a Foucauldian lens to critically analyze this trend as a potent form of hidden curriculum that shapes student subjectivities. Through a multi-case study of three "high-tech secure" schools in Singapore, this research combines policy analysis with focus group discussions with students and teachers. The analysis demonstrates that pervasive surveillance does more than monitor behavior; it disciplines it, fostering an internalized sense of constant visibility. Students reported self-censoring creative expression and avoiding non-conformist behaviors for fear of algorithmic or administrative sanction. This study argues that the securitized school functions as a panopticon, training students for a life of transparent citizenship in a surveillance capitalist society, thereby prioritizing docility and compliance over critical thinking and democratic engagement. The findings raise urgent ethical questions about the trade-off between security and the development of autonomous, critically-minded citizens.