In view of protests over the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls at a school in Badlapur near Mumbai last week, the Union Education Ministry has directed all States and Union Territories to implement its guidelines to ensure safety and security of children in schools.
The Ministry has also asked States and UTs to inform the status of notification of the guidelines that it had issued in 2021 in accordance with the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
The Education Ministry’s ‘Guidelines on School Safety and Security’ contains provisions for fixing accountability on the school management in matters of safety and security of children studying in government, government-aided and private schools.
The Ministry has further stated that implementation of these guidelines is important to fix accountability for keeping children safe and secure in schools, and when they use school transport to commute to and from schools. These guidelines relate to the school management and principals and teachers for private and unaided schools, and the head or in-charge head, teachers and education administration in case of government and government-aided schools.
Further, the guidelines cover preventive education, accountability of various stakeholders, reporting procedure, legal provisions, support and counselling, and safe environment. “These guidelines are crucial to accessibility, inclusiveness and positive learning outcomes,” the Ministry stated on Friday (August 23, 2024).
“States and UTs were informed that they may incorporate additions/modifications to these guidelines, if deemed necessary, according to the State- and UT-specific requirements and notify these guidelines,” it further stated.
The guidelines have been issued to create an understanding among all stakeholders, including students and parents, on the need for co-creating a safe and secure school environment for the holistic development of children. It also makes different stakeholders aware about the acts, policies, procedures and guidelines already available on different aspects of safety and security - physical, socio-emotional, cognitive and specific to natural disasters as well, the Ministry stated.
“A key purpose is to emphasize the ‘Zero Tolerance Policy’ against any negligence on the part of any individual or management when it comes to the safety and security of children in schools,” the Ministry said.
Published - August 23, 2024 09:02 pm IST
