NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday chaired a review meeting at Raj Niwas to assess the implementation of various programmes, campaigns and safety measures being carried out as part of the ongoing Child Protection Month in July.
The education department informed the L-G and the CM that a comprehensive student safety checklist, in accordance with the guidelines of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) and the POCSO Act, is being implemented in all 5,633 schools across Delhi.
These include 1,077 Delhi Government schools, 198 government-aided schools, 2,612 MCD, NDMC and Delhi Cantonment Board schools and 1,746 private schools. The child protection committees have already been constituted in all Delhi government schools in accordance with the POCSO Act. The L-G and CM directed that similar committees should be constituted in all 5,633 schools across Delhi by the end of July.
The department is also training teachers, school staff and master trainers under the provisions of the POCSO Act. Special arrangements are being made to ensure safety of children with special needs. Also, educational and vocational counsellors are conducting awareness sessions for students on safe and unsafe touch, gender sensitisation and personal boundaries. Self-defence training is also being provided to students in schools.
Delhi Police said that initiatives are being undertaken for the safety of schoolchildren. To strengthen monitoring of child safety cases, an additional deputy commissioner of police has been designated as the nodal officer in every district and will report to the deputy commissioner of police.
During the review, the L-G and the CM directed that child protection initiatives should not remain limited to the month of July but become a permanent and integral part of the functioning of all institutions.