Children spend the better part of their day in school, and the onus of keeping them safe falls on the shoulders of multiple agencies, from teachers, principals and school managements to the police, education department and parents. But recent events have proven that the implementation of safety measures is lax, in both government and private schools.
Our expert Vasudev Sharma, Executive Director of Child Rights Trust, will discuss issues that need to be addressed within our education system.
Padma: Whether travelling in schools buses or within schools campus, children seem to be in some or the other danger? How and why has the situation gone out of hands? What can be done to make school a safe place?
Komal Ganotra: Children face risks everywhere including schools, buses as well as other public and private places. Its important for us to recognize risks proactively and develop systems to address these risks,
Vasudeva Sharma: It is the adult world which has to be sensitised about children and child rights. A basic requirement is the involvement of parents in the school management committees. Recruitment and training of the staff about children is a must.
Vasudeva Sharma: Help children also to understand their situation in the midst of the adult world! Yes, let them also know that there could be some men and women who may take the advantage of children.
Komal Ganotra: Every school needs a complete child protection system where risks arising from people, structures and processes are identified periodically and actions are taken to reduce them effectively.
Vasudeva Sharma: Thats right. What Komal writes. Every School should have a Child Rights Protection Policy and everyone including parents should adhere with it.
Sanam: There has been a hue and cry every time a case of sexual assault has emerged in a school in Bengaluru. Is that the only worry we should have when it comes to safety of children in our schools?
Komal Ganotra: the most visible form of breach of safety is the sexual abuse that makes us feel so bad but there are various elements of safety e.g children drowning in school tanks, children falling from stair cases, electrocuted and so on.
Vasudeva Sharma: Well, I was about to embark on it. It is not always the sexual abuse that one should be worried or taking care of . Even bullying, corporal punishment, cheating, discriminating, school building structural issues, etc. are also of concern.
Rishikesh: Education is a money-making sector. Private schools are fleecing parents. Why is government not doing anything to make its schools popular?
Komal Ganotra: Rishikesh all Government needs to do is to add quality to the education delivery and there will be enough takers. WE as people of the country need to express that to the state and I believe the public system in India can do wonders. India is one of the countries that invests the least in Public provisioning for education.
Vasudeva Sharma: That means schools are actually non profit entities. They are not expected to make any profit. If at all they get any profit it has to be ploughed back into the same purpose. We as a a society have to understand this and bring change in the system.
G.L. Asawa: There is no fear of law because a large majority of the law-enforcing people are indifferent and many a times indulge in corrupt practices (money, political pressure etc.) to save the guilty. In addition the justice is delayed almost indefinitely. Then, many of the politicians and their followers commit such crimes and roam free. All these factors contribute to such and other crimes. Absence of proper and moral education is also a factor.
Vasudeva Sharma: Lets understand that all schools (in any fashion) are run by NGOs. Trusts or Societies. That means it is not a private business. All these NGO run schools have to adhere to the rules, regulations that are mandatory to manage an NGO.
Charu: The focus seems to be on safety of children going to expensive private schools. What about those in regular schools - ones that are not the chains whose names ring a bell in the minds of the well-to-do?
Vasudeva Sharma: Charu's question is valid. Unfortunately our society thinks that only so called NGO schools (wrongly identified as Private schools) provide quality education. Infact Govt schools (Karnataka) have very qualified teachers. What they need a supporting Govt and local systems.
Meenakshi: How much does India spend on public provisioning for education?
Komal Ganotra: Around 4% of our GDP Meenakshi including higher education.
Yashas: In 2014 following a spate of sexual abuse cases in city schools, police made background verification for all staffers mandatory. How is this programme being implemented? But is this a fool proof system? this will only weed out ppl with past cases, if they are brought to police notice. Isnt a robust psychological evaluation better tool to weed out people?
Komal Ganotra: Reference check is just one mechanism and cannot solve the problem of sexual abuse in schools.
Stella: What is your idea of a "safe school?"
Vasudeva Sharma: Stella - a safe school, begins with every person involved in running the school being sensitive to child rights. We can continue to add issues to this. Ask the school to display their Child Protection Policy. Find out whether the building is built as per by-law. Find out whether the school is willing to give details (background) of every staff, including the teachers. Is the school (the NGO that runs the school) is open in terms of sharing the annual reports and their audited statements, etc. A few.
Priya: Hardly few schools follow safety guidelines? Shouldn't penalty be imposed on those which dont?
Komal Ganotra: Priya the issue is guidelines are also rudimentary and basic. They do not penetrate the system and do not become a way of living and so not as effective,
Lakshmi: As a parent, do I have the right to ask the school to create a PTA if there isn't one already?
Vasudeva Sharma: Lakshmi, you hit the issue on its head. Yes You can.
Komal Ganotra: Yes Lakshmi as a parent you have the right to ask for a PTA if it does not exist. It is mandatory for every school to have one.
Lakshmi: Thanks Vasudeva and Komal. Are the rights you refer to a state requirement in Karnataka or is it in all states? Any online pointers to relevant regulations would be great for reference. Thanks!
Komal Ganotra: RTE is applicable to all states though there are rules which may slightly differ.
Guest: What about school kid having easy access to tobacco products and even drugs? Why is the police/ child welfare department not putting a stop to sale of these outside schools?
Vasudeva Sharma: I suggest you file a complaint to the police or call ChildLine 1098 and inform the places where tobacco or drugs are sold to children.
Jayram: Most PTAs are inactive. Considering the kind of influence they can have, what should be done to empower them?
Komal Ganotra: Jayram we should first make the PTAs functional and ensure that other parents are aware about them
Vasudeva Sharma: Good question Jayaram. When PTAs started, it was a great idea. But, today most PTAs have become puppets in the hands of the school managment. Let us inform, educate and train them. Rather every parent shoduld take time off to get trained and informed about the existing situation and child centered rights.
Arnold: In Australia, there is a check for all employees working in schools. Here too, Should include those staff who help along with teachers and security guards. Also include school bus drivers
Komal Ganotra: Arnoid it should be with respct to every person coming in contact with children. But in India drivers change, staff changes and systems are not taken as seriously
Vasudeva Sharma: Today the Acts/Law with respect to children and child rights are quite decent and articulative. The Natioanal Policy for Children 2013 is comprehensive and I suggest all the parents, and the institutions who run schools should read it. I also suggest that every parent should know atleast basics of RTE Act 2009, POCSO 2012, Juvenile Justice Act 2016, so that they are informed and know the rights of their children. All parents also should undergo a baisc course on child rights and understand the significance of child hood from rights perspective.
Harsha: How will anyone know If the child is in school or any bad influence? Thats the thing which matters the most in Adolescence.
Komal Ganotra: Harsha this is only possible when there is an open communication between the parent and the school. Infact many schools now display attendance on the website too.
Vidya: What kind of roles can parents play to make schools safer?
Komal Ganotra: Parents proactive interaction with school on systems of protection, need for a child protection policy, making it a agenda in the PTA etc can make it recognized issue and therfore proactive redressal
Vasudeva Sharma: Vidya, attend every parent teacher meeting and also as a group of parents, discuss with the management committee of the school and initiate the need for Child Protection Policy. Ask the School to arrange for a open chat on the systems in the school (well all these is not to antogonise with the school); have a workshop in batches on various child protection measures, volunteer to take respondibility in turns to be part of discussion with other parents and motivating the children too to talk about safety issues in the schools. Will continue with more issues. In fact the Karntaka Child Protection policy for schools which is available on the net gives you more infor.
Vasudeva Sharma: Finally, if you get to know that ther is something wrong in the school, you are bound to report. Today more harm is done to children because of non reporting and omission on the parts of the duty bearers, including paretnns and others. Today we have Child Welfare Committees in every district and you can complain to them direclty, anonymously too. Every District also have DCPU-Distrcti Child Protection Unit where in you can reach your complaints. Contact the local police or an NGO who can direct you their. In fact some laws including POCSO and JJ Act have provisions to punish those who don't report! Let us get to know basics of some laws to protect our children in schools and outside too.
Komal Ganotra: I think the more we dwell on the issue, there are layers of protection that we would discover. Lets make asssessment and management of risk at school, home, park a way of life a way of life for us and our children. Please ensure our children are empowered towards there personal safety too.
