PCMC to introduce manual for safety of children in schools

The manual has a checklist of 146 rules and regulations and to make it easy for the schools some of the rules and regulations will be modified, said officials

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will implement a manual developed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for the safety and security of children in schools.

On February 16, a 14-year-old student of Class 8 from PCMC-run Hutatma Chaphekar Vidya Mandir in Chinchwad lost his life after falling from the third floor while playing in school. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The decision has been taken following two incidents at schools in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Earlier in January several female students were sexually assaulted in a private school in the Ravet area.

In another incident reported on February 16, a 14-year-old student of Class 8 from PCMC-run Hutatma Chaphekar Vidya Mandir in Chinchwad lost his life after falling from the third floor while playing in school.

Shekhar Singh, municipal commissioner, informed that the decision has been taken to implement modified manuals for the safety and security of children in schools from next month.

“The manual will be mandatory for public schools and push private schools to start adopting the same. As per feasibility some terms and conditions from the manual will be excluded as per recommendation of the school teacher,” he said.

As per the officials, the International School Safety Week 4-11 March is currently ongoing in PCMC schools.

The safety manual was discussed during the school management committee meeting last month on February 22.

The manual has a checklist of 146 rules and regulations and to make it easy for the schools some of the rules and regulations will be modified, informed the officials.

“The schools during safety week have been asked to conduct a self-assessment in consideration of the manual. The manual will be implemented in a phased manner and include eight different categories. Convention of principals for private schools will be held next month during which they will be asked to adopt the manual,” he said.

As per the officials, the manual will have rules, Acts and guidelines for the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012; Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) (JJ) Act, 2015, guidelines on food safety and hygiene for school, guidelines on safety of school buses, instruction on bullying prevention and ragging in schools, standards of safety and precautionary methods amongst others.