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Harassment cases in Jind, Kaithal: Kurukshetra admissions issues SOPs for schools
Kurukshetra administration has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be followed by government and private schools to avert incidents against girl students
In view of the alleged sexual harassment cases in Jind and Kaithal schools, the Kurukshetra administration has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be followed by government and private schools to avert incidents against girl students.
Officials said that the trauma of a child is aggravated because of the school’s unpreparedness in preventing and addressing such cases.
Through the SOP, the administration has asked the schools to keep the doors of classrooms open while teaching and there should be no retiring room for officers or officials in school premises.
Curtains, if installed in any room, should be kept open during the day and measures must be taken to install CCTVs in classrooms and school premises and ensure monitoring regularly, it said.
The authorities have been asked to act decisively, promptly and systematically at the very onset of raising such a complaint. Proactive measures have to be followed by heads of schools, both government and private, to prevent child sexual abuse, it adds.
The school management committee should be clearly defined that should promote a culture of respect and inclusion by constituting a committee to discharge the function as mentioned in Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act.
“This committee will conduct orientation programmes/ seminars for all employees and students to sensitise them about how to deal with any type of discrimination and sexual harassment issues. It will also conduct sessions on ‘Man ki Baat’ under ‘Balika manch’ already established in each and every school,” it said.
The administration has also asked the already existing ‘Balika manch’ to be strengthened by providing training to female teachers-in-charge by a psychologist.
“Suggestion/complaint box must be fixed in a conspicuous place, so that the complainants may drop their complaint/suggestions. One responsible teacher should be designated as nodal officer for this. The complaint box should be kept locked and be checked on a daily basis in the presence of a nodal officer and be resolved on the basis of the gravity of the complaint,” the instructions read.
Women cells, established in each and every school must keep a close eye on all the activities of students, if it seems suspected then suo-motto should be taken into cognisance.
One teacher must reach the school half an hour before the students arrive.
The schools have been asked to form an anti-sexual harassment committee and a PGT psychology must be appointed as nodal officer. The same committee will hold ‘Man Ki Baat’ with girl students and write the proceedings of the meeting.
“In privately managed schools most of the students uses transportation facilities, this is the one of the vulnerable points of sexual harassment. They must ensure that the curtains are removed from all school buses and strict instructions should be issued to keep the light inside the bus on during the journey. A female teacher and one supporting staff (female) must be mandatorily present in the bus to avoid any untoward incident,” the SOPs read.
City magistrate Harpreet Kaur said, “The SOP has been shared with all the schools and principals have been asked to ensure that these are followed. The students should be provided age-appropriate education and awareness to empower them with knowledge about personal safety, recognising inappropriate behaviour - good touch and bad touch, and reporting mechanisms.”
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16 more girls speak up against principal
Days after the principal of a government school was arrested in Kaithal for allegedly sexually harassing four girl students, 16 more girls have given their statements to the police till Wednesday.
Kaithal superintendent of police Upasana said that an SIT under DSP Guhla has recorded the statements of a total 20 students.
“These 20 include the four girls who have initially filed a complaint with the police. They all have levelled allegations against the principal of inappropriate touch and using vulgar language in the school,” she said.
Statements of four girls were recorded under section 164 of the CrPC before a magistrate, following which the principal Ravi Kumar was arrested.
Two among them also spoke against a private contractor, Deepak, who was later also booked.
DSP Guhla Kuldeep Beniwal said that the contractor remains absconding and raids are being conducted to arrest him.
