BHUBANESWAR:The State Government has decided to extend training on life skill and safety to all residential schools to create safe environment for students in view of reports of minor girls falling victim to sexual assault.
A decision to this effect was taken at the third task force meeting presided over by Chief Secretary GC Pati at the Secretariat here. Implementation of the girl child and women policy announced by the Government last year was also discussed at the meeting. The policy will be implemented by the Women and Child Development department with cooperation from the School and Mass Education, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe Welfare and Health and Family Welfare departments.
Official sources said the meeting focused on the need to provide clean and safe environment for students of the residential schools, particularly the girl students. In the changing scenario, extending life skill education has assumed greater importance, the sources added.
The SC and ST Welfare department has also initiated steps for appointment of 336 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) to take care of all the girl students in the residential schools once in 15 days. Besides, the State Government has also initiated moves to relax the age and eligibility bar for recruitment of matrons in hostels of residential schools.
Health check-up of students is now being carried out under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Abhijan. Steps will also be taken to construct boundary walls, kitchens and toilets for girls hostels. There are about 5,375 hostels for ST students which provide residential facility to four lakh students out of which three lakh are girl students.
Sources said though the State Government had decided to appoint 3,000 matrons in residential schools for girls hostels in July 2014, the process for appointment is yet to begin.