Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau.
Following the recent rape of a 4-year-old girl in a Sitarganj school, the education department of Udham Singh Nagar district has issued a series of directives aimed at ensuring student safety across all schools. The move comes in the wake of rising concerns about the safety and well-being of students within and around school premises.
The district’s Chief Education Officer (CEO), K.S. Rawat has mandated that during daily prayer meetings, headmasters and teachers should ask students about their well-being and whether they have faced any harassment while commuting to or from school. “If any student reports an incident, the police will be informed immediately,” Rawat said, stressing the importance of vigilance in preventing such occurrences.
To further tighten security, the education department has instructed that no unknown or suspicious person be allowed near the students or within school grounds. Additionally, students will not be permitted to leave the school premises during school hours. Rawat emphasized that headmasters would be held accountable for any negligence or untoward incident that occurs on school grounds.
The CEO also pointed out the safety risks posed by the physical infrastructure in some schools. “Entry of children near dilapidated classrooms and toilets will be prohibited,” Rawat said. Schools have been directed to prune trees and branches that could pose a danger and to fix any hanging electric wires in the premises promptly.
Rawat further said, “It is often found that miscreants harass students on their way to school, leading them to avoid coming to school or arriving late.” In such cases, schools have been asked to take written explanations from students and report the matter confidentially to the police.
To enhance communication with parents, Rawat announced the creation of a broadcast group, similar to those used in private schools, to keep parents informed of school activities and emergencies. Mobile numbers of all parents will be collected to facilitate this.
