COIMBATORE: The school education department has directed all types of schools to ensure the display of the jurisdictional all-women police stations’ contact numbers on the school notice board to ensure and strengthen the safety of girl students.
Meanwhile, the Chief Educational Officer (CEO) has been instructed to ensure the functioning of the committee to prevent sexual offences against girl students.
The director of matriculation schools, A Karuppusamy, told TNIE that they have already instructed all types of schools to form a committee and place a complaint box on the campuses to inquiry about sexual offences complaints.
The District Educational Officers (DEO) inspected the schools to see if the complaint boxes are being used by students to register their grievances and that they have been asked to conduct inspections every month, to instil confidence among the students that their voices are heard.
Additionally, the CEOs have been asked to submit the monthly inspection reports to the school education department, added Karuppusamy.
Tamil Nadu High and Higher Secondary School Graduate Teachers Association state treasurer T Arulanandham welcomed the move and opined awareness campaigns should also be conducted for the students with the help of the police department and psychologists.
Psychologist N Rahman Khan told TNIE, "It is a good move because the students will slowly outgrow the fear of police and help them reach out to the officials." The presence of the AWPS numbers will ensure that nobody misbehaves with the students.
Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association president R Visalatchi also welcomed the move and said even when students face issues while travelling or in their neighbourhood, they would immediately seek the help of officials confidently. She added that private schools have begun displaying the AWPS numbers on notice boards.
Coimbatore Chief Educational Officer, N Geetha told TNIE that they have taken steps to display the numbers at the earliest in all schools.