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Enforce safety guidelines, report sexual assault cases: Edu ministry to schools
The guidelines, developed by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), are aligned with the POCSO guidelines and outline measures for school safety
New Delhi: The ministry of education has directed all states and union territories to enforce the ‘Guidelines on School Safety and Security-2021’ to “enhance the safety and security of children in educational institutions” amidst the increasing reports of sexual assault cases in schools. The ministry has further asked to report the status of the notification of these guidelines in their respective regions.
A statement issued by the education ministry on Friday stated that it is “deeply committed to ensuring the safety and security of children in schools and other educational institutions.”
The statement comes in the backdrop of public backlash following multiple sexual assault cases in schools, including one in Badlapur in Maharashtra, where two schoolgirls were raped allegedly by a staff member. The incident reportedly took place in the school’s toilet, where the accused is alleged to have assaulted the girls. This case has sparked civil and political controversy.
The guidelines, developed by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), are aligned with the POCSO guidelines and outline measures for school safety, officials said.
The guidelines specify the accountability of school management in government, government-aided, and private schools and include provisions for preventive education, reporting procedures, legal provisions, and support systems, officials added.
The guidelines aim to establish a “clear understanding of and commitment to creating a secure environment for students,” said the ministry.
These guidelines seek to “create an understanding among students, parents, teachers, schools, and those concerned on the need for co-creating a safe and secure school environment for children….It also aims to raise awareness about existing acts, policies, procedures, and guidelines related to safety, including physical, socio-emotional, cognitive, and specific to natural disasters,” the ministry said.
The ministry emphasised the importance of empowering all involved parties by providing clarity on their roles in implementing these guidelines and “fixing accountability for keeping children safe and secure in schools.”
This includes holding school management, principals, and teachers accountable, with a strong focus on a “zero tolerance” against any negligence in maintaining the safety and security of children.
The ministry had developed the guidelines following a Supreme Court order in 2021 and outlined 11 categories of negligence for which school administrations will be held accountable.
Non-compliance could lead to fines up to five per cent of the school’s total revenue from the previous year, restrictions on new admissions, or potential derecognition. The guidelines were called for by the Supreme Court after a 2017 murder case of a student and aimed to address both physical and psychosocial safety concerns for students.
