The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has taken a step forward in making schools safe for children. They announced that the onus for the safety of its students lies with the school authorities
Pradhuman Thakur, the boy who was murdered
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has taken a step forward in making schools safe for children. They announced on Wednesday that the onus for the safety of its students lies with the school authorities. In response to a Supreme Court query, after the death of the seven-year-old boy at Ryan international school in Delhi, the board sent a circular titled ‘safety of children’ to its affiliated schools. They have given the schools two months to complete psychometric evaluation of all their staff, which includes teachers, non-teaching staff, sweepers, bus drivers and conductors.
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As per a report by the Times of India, the circular stated, "Owing to increasing incidents involving safety and well-being of school children, the onus for safety and security of children on campus shall solely lie upon the school authorities." It also mentioned, "It is the fundamental right of a child to engage and study in an environment where he/she feels safe and is free from any form of physical or emotional abuse or harassment."
The circular also mentioned, “The official word from CBSE will assuage parents jolted by the Ryan School murder. What may prove tough for schools is the mandatory psychometric evaluation.”
In a statement, the CBSE said, "Schools must get psychometric evaluation done for all the staff employed. Such verification and evaluation for non-teaching staff — such as bus drivers, conductors, peons and other support staff — may be done very carefully and in a detailed manner."
The Deputy secretary (affiliation) Jaiprakash Chaturvedi has also asked all schools to promote better understanding between teachers and staff. He said, "laws protecting the safety, security and interests of students".
The latest rule also asks schools to devise methods to "take immediate remedial and punitive action against such violations." "The staff members should also be educated to recognize their protective obligation toward students and to ensure safety and well-being of children in schools,"
The circular also says that schools must have a preventive mechanism and procedures in place for the safety of children, once in place, the policies should be taken seriously. The board has also mentioned that schools must implement the sensitization of employees of the school to ensure safety. The board said, "These exhaustive provisions are required to be strictly followed by every school affiliated with CBSE to ensure complete safety of schoolchildren in school. In addition, the school authorities may immediately take strict measures to enhance the security of children in schools."
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