In view of the ongoing unrest over the sexual assault of two minor girls at a school in Badlapur, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday issued fresh guidelines to ensure children’s safety in educational institutions.
All government and private schools across the state have been directed to prefer only female support staff for taking care of children up to six years of age. The directive also mandates all schools to install CCTV cameras in its premises and surrounding areas.
Failure to comply with the directives may result in severe consequences, including revocation of permission to operate or cancellation of school recognition.
Protests have broken out in many parts of Maharashtra following the sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls (both four-year-old) at a school in Badlapur near Mumbai. A school attendant was arrested in the case.
Schools that are yet to install CCTV cameras are also directed to prioritise this task. Regular monitoring of CCTV footage is also mandated, with the principal and School Management Committee responsible for reviewing footage at least three times a week, the guidelines stated.
The directives issued by the school education department via a Government Resolution (GR) also ordered school authorities to do thorough background checks and character verification of all non-teaching staff, such as security guards, bus drivers, and cleaners.
To further enhance student safety, schools are also instructed to install grievance boxes, which must be regularly monitored. The school principal will be accountable for ensuring these boxes are utilised effectively, with disciplinary action stipulated for any negligence.
The formation of a state-level student safety committee has also been proposed, tasked with reviewing the implementation of safety measures and addressing any incidents of misconduct or harassment.
The committee will be responsible for submitting regular reports to the government, with the Commissioner of Education, Maharashtra State, Pune, overseeing this process.
The guidelines also mandated that any inappropriate incidents involving students be reported to the relevant educational authorities within twenty-four hours. Attempts to conceal such incidents will result in severe penalties for those involved, it warned.
