CHENNAI: Three months after the school education department faced criticism for allowing self-proclaimed spiritual speaker Mahavishu to deliver controversial speeches in government schools, the department has come up with detailed guidelines on who can be invited for events in schools, including private and CBSE schools, across the state. The guidelines include the formation of state and district-level vetting committees.
However, in its attempt to prevent unsavoury incidents, the department seems to have gone for overkill. Clearance from the intelligence wing of the police has been made mandatory for school events involving external entities.
According to the new guidelines, any new organisation that wants to engage with a school for any philanthropic or other activity must get antecedent clearance from the intelligence wing of the police. Only those NGOs and chief guests who are part of a proposed state-approved list can be invited for events in schools.
It can be recalled that after the Mahavishnu incident, Chief Minister MK Stalin directed the department to issue guidelines promoting progressive and scientific values in programmes organised in school. But concerns have now been raised about the difficulty that civil society organisations with genuinely progressive ideas may face in engaging in constructive activities in schools.
As per the new guidelines, accessed by TNIE, a state-level committee and district-level committees will be formed to approve the events. The state committee, led by the School Education Secretary, will include the member-secretary of model schools and directors of elementary education.
At the district-level, committees, headed by collectors, will include Superintendent of Police, DRDA project officer, and social welfare, child protection, and health officials, DIET principal, and DEO, with CEO as member-secretary.
The state committee will maintain a master list of NGOs with “strong reputation” for working with schools while there will be similar lists at the district-level. Listed NGOs must notify the school administration and DEOs 15 days before events. Private schools can also engage NGOs from the list.
NGOs that are not part of the list must submit a detailed proposal through the CEO, outlining the event’s purpose, duration, volunteers and its intended impact on students.
State-and district-level lists of individuals “approved as chief guests” for events will be maintained and prior approval from respective education officers is required to invite chief guests. If a person who is not part of the list must be invited, prior approval from the respective committee is needed.
Police nod must
A state-level committee and district-level committees will be formed to approve school events. The proposed guidelines will be applicable to all schools, including private and CBSE schools, across Tamil Nadu