Cameras, Counselors, and Courage: Maharashtra Schools Usher in a New Era of Safety

The Maharashtra government has released a detailed guideline to ensure safety to students in all the schools in the state. The new guideline, released in the form of a government resolution on May 13, requires CCTV cameras to be installed in all the major sections of the school-classrooms, corridors, and school buses-at least with a one-month data storage facility. The school could be denied grants from the government or even derecognized if it does not comply with the directive.

 

Apart from monitoring, schools are now required to arrange for counselling of students who are experiencing mental stress or being bullied. The guidelines also mandate the provision of complaint boxes, to be opened fortnightly by a committee of parent representatives, with an instant and confidential system of redressal of grievances.

 

Other significant steps are:

 

Triple roll call: Schools must record student attendance in the morning, afternoon, and on dismissal, and send SMS to absent students' parents.

 

Compulsory background checks: Police verification and checks through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) shall be mandatory for all school employees, including outsourced and contractual staff.

 

"Good touch, bad touch" consciousness: Pre-primary and primary students will be made aware of identifying and reporting bad touch.

 

School bus safety: Every school bus should be fitted with CCTV and have a lady attendant on board. Drivers and staff are regularly tested for alcohol.

 

Child protection committees: Organizing Sakhi-Savitri committees in all schools to look after vulnerable children, provide career counseling, and encourage self-defense training, particularly for girls.

 

Prohibition areas: No pan or tobacco shop will be permitted within a radius of one kilometer of any school. These far-reaching changes follow a directive by the Bombay High Court and are the direct fallout of sexual assault on two girls at a school in Badlapur in August 2024. The government has also issued a threat of severe legal action against school administration for not reporting sexual offenses or for not following these guidelines.

Source: The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Navbharat Times

Source: The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Navbharat TimesThe Maharashtra government has released a detailed guideline to ensure safety to students in all the schools in the state. The new guideline, released in the form of a government resolution on May 13, requires CCTV cameras to be installed in all the major sections of the school-classrooms, corridors, and school buses-at least with a one-month data storage facility. The school could be denied grants from the government or even derecognized if it does not comply with the directive.

 

Apart from monitoring, schools are now required to arrange for counselling of students who are experiencing mental stress or being bullied. The guidelines also mandate the provision of complaint boxes, to be opened fortnightly by a committee of parent representatives, with an instant and confidential system of redressal of grievances.

 

Other significant steps are:

 

Triple roll call: Schools must record student attendance in the morning, afternoon, and on dismissal, and send SMS to absent students' parents.

 

Compulsory background checks: Police verification and checks through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) shall be mandatory for all school employees, including outsourced and contractual staff.

 

"Good touch, bad touch" consciousness: Pre-primary and primary students will be made aware of identifying and reporting bad touch.

 

School bus safety: Every school bus should be fitted with CCTV and have a lady attendant on board. Drivers and staff are regularly tested for alcohol.

 

Child protection committees: Organizing Sakhi-Savitri committees in all schools to look after vulnerable children, provide career counseling, and encourage self-defense training, particularly for girls.

 

Prohibition areas: No pan or tobacco shop will be permitted within a radius of one kilometer of any school. These far-reaching changes follow a directive by the Bombay High Court and are the direct fallout of sexual assault on two girls at a school in Badlapur in August 2024. The government has also issued a threat of severe legal action against school administration for not reporting sexual offenses or for not following these guidelines.

 

Source: The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Navbharat Times