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The Ministry of Education has issued directions to all states and Union Territories (UTs) to implement the “Guidelines on School Safety and Security-2021” to enhance the safety of children in educational institutions. The move comes following directions given by the Supreme Court in Writ Petitions (Criminal) No. 136/2017 and (Civil) No. 874/2017.
The guidelines, in line with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, have been formulated to establish clear accountability for school management in government, government-aided and private schools. The key aspects include preventive education, reporting procedures, legal provisions, support services and creation of a safe environment conducive to learning.
The ministry has requested states and union territories to provide updated information on the notification status of these guidelines in their jurisdiction. These guidelines, which were initially circulated on October 1, 2021, and are advisory in nature, provide states the flexibility to tailor them as per local requirements. They emphasise a ‘zero tolerance policy’ towards negligence with regard to child safety.
The objective of these guidelines is to create understanding among all stakeholders including students and parents on the need to co-create a safe school environment for the holistic development of children and to make various stakeholders aware about the acts, policies, procedures and guidelines already available for various aspects of safety viz. physical, socio-emotional, cognitive and natural disasters.
These guidelines have been designed to empower various stakeholders and provide clarity on their role in the implementation of this guideline.
It aims to fix accountability of the school management and principals and teachers in private/ unaided schools, and the school Principal/ Principal-in-charge, teachers and education administration in case of Government/ Government aided schools, for keeping children safe in schools (including while bringing children to and from school or while they are returning home in school transport).
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