To check physical, mental and sexual abuse of children in schools, the Yogi Adityanath government has laid out fresh guidelines, entrusting the protection of children to the principals, teachers, staff, warden and members of the school management committee.
State project director Vijay Kiran Anand has written a letter to all district basic education officers, asking them to ensure compliance of the guidelines.In his letter, Anand has said that the guidelines should be followed in all primary, upper primary, composite and Kasturba Gandhi Girls Schools.
These guidelines had been first issued on February 23, 2015, and a detailed notice reiterating these guidelines has been issued again."The purpose of the guidelines issued in 2015 is to protect the safety of children in the state, prevent crimes against children and protect schoolchildren from physical and mental harassment.
It has also fixed accountability for harassment of children on the principals, teachers and other officials of the institution concerned," the government spokesperson said.As per the guidelines, it is the responsibility of every school management, school management committee and principals to create a safe and secure environment for children on school premises, while they are on the way to school and during their field visits.
This ensures that the responsibility of the school management does not just end at the school premises and they should ensure suitable care of a child even outside.The guidelines also mention a series of measures for protection of children, including installation of GPS systems in school buses, mandatory verification of school bus drivers and helpers, advertising the child helpline, women helpline and police station numbers inside buses and deployment of two teachers in each school bus.
The advisory also outlines the duties of teachers and non-teaching staff with respect to harassment of a child.Agra: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath interacts with students during his visit to a school in Agra on Oct 26, 2017.