COIMBATORE: The school education department has directed District Educational Officers (DEO) to to strengthen Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) in high and higher secondary schools and hold regular inspections.
A senior officer in the department said, “DEOs must ensure that the number of All Women Police Station of the area is displayed prominently in school notice board and ICC is formed to prevent sexual offences against girl students.Sexual harassment complaints is covered up by the school managements. We should stop it. Already, we have instructed schools to form a committee and place compliant boxes to receive sexual offence complaints. However, the system is inactive in many schools."
Besides, educational officers do not inspect if sexual offence complaints are lodged by students through the complaint box, So, we have directed DEOs to inspect schools every month without fail, which will give confidence to students to come forward and lodge complaint against sexual offenders who may be teaching or non - teaching staff and also members of the management of the school,”
The DEOs must submit report about their monthly inspection to the school education department, he added.