To prevent cases of child sexual abuse in schools, the State has issued a Government Resolution (GR) that directs schools to not employ anyone unless their character certificate is checked by the police, and to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the entrance and in campuses of schools.
Filing complaints
The GR says children must be told to lodge complaints regarding misconduct in school through the Protection of Child from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act e-box and the application, ‘Chirag’. The box has been created by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights while the app has been created by the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) in partnership with the International Justice Mission.
The app was unveiled on June 8 last year and works as a child helpline. It contains information about existing laws and court orders in the domain of child rights, along with contact details of the MSCPCR officials and local authorities. Through it, one can also file complaints regarding violation of child rights such as child labour, trafficking and child abuse. It is free for download on Android and IOS operating systems.
Travel precautions
The GR says a staff member should be deployed at the entrance and exit of the school to look out for all students. There should also be separate toilets and common rooms for girls and boys. No unauthorised person should be present on the school campus. If a student is absent, the report should be sent to parents on SMS. Parents whose children travel in private vehicles should be instructed to check the driver’s credentials. No permission should be given to any unauthorised person to sit in the school bus.
The last girl to travel in the bus must be accompanied by a woman till she is dropped off. No child should be left in the classroom after school hours.
On activities outside school, girl students should be accompanied by a woman teacher or woman to the extent possible.
No punishment should cause bodily or mental harm to students, and school staff or teachers should not disclose personal information such as PAN or Aadhaar of students without parental consent to any third person, says the Government Resolution.
