GURGAON: Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh today directed the management and representatives of all private schools in the city to ensure adequate safety and security, including in transportation, as per CBSE guidelines, following the brutal murder of a schoolboy here.
In the meeting which was attended by more than 100 parents along with 250 schoolteachers from across the city, Singh urged them to partner in the implementation of all applicable safety laws and be prepared to deal with any emergencies in future.
"After the gruesome murder of class 2 student in Ryan International School, we must take proactive steps to ensure compliance with the norms and also make sure that the school management is held accountable for any trouble inside any school," the DC said.
He also directed the school representatives to obtain fire safety certificates in a month and conduct a safety and security audit.
"Safety and security of students should be the utmost priority of all school managements and any kind of negligence or lapses cannot be tolerated in future. A team of district education department will conduct surprise checking in schools and school officials would come under legal scanner in case of their involvement in security negligence," Singh said.
Following the gruesome murder of seven-year-old Pradhuman Thakur last week, CBSE issued fresh security guidelines on September 12 with strong instructions to all schools to implement safety measures on priority basis.
"We have also mentioned about Haryana state education act and asked them to ensure all safety measures are put in place inside the schools and to prepare self-certificates and submit them in DC office and district education office in 15 days. We have also directed schools to constitute committees pertaining to JJ Act, POCSO Act, Prevention of sexual harassment Act apart from police verification of teaching and non-teaching staff," Singh said.
"The students and parents are feeling insecure and hence schools should ensure security arrangements such as emergency alarms, covered water tanks, proper medical facility, separate toilets for drivers and conductors, regular parent-teacher meetings and proper sanitation inside the premises. Schools will have to install CCTV cameras at all vulnerable areas on campus and ensure they are functional at all times," he said.
The Ryan International School in Bhondsi, where the crime occurred, has now been taken over by the district administration for the next three months and will be opened on Monday, he added.