HYDERABAD: The school education department has constituted a committee to frame guidelines for ensuring safety of children in schools. The guidelines shall be followed by all government, aided and private schools in the State.
The panel will be chaired by Labour and Employment department Special Chief Secretary I Rani Kumudini and will have Women and Child Development Special Secretary D Divya and Additional DGP (Women’s Safety) Swati Lakra as members. An order in this regard was issued on November 10 but was released by the government on Friday.
The decision to constitute the panel was taken following the sexual abuse of a four-year-old girl in the DAV Public School, Banjara Hills by the driver of the principal on the school premises for approximately two months. The principal and driver were later arrested.
Taking a serious view of the issue, the government initiated measures to prevent untoward incidents where the safety and security of children are compromised due to the negligence of school authorities and the inability to take timely action.
“Safety and security of the children in schools are of utmost concern and importance. The responsibility for the safety and security of students lies primarily with the school authorities. It is the bounden duty of the schools to provide an environment to children where they feel safe and free from any form of physical or emotional abuse or harassment,” the order said.
The director of school education and school education department officials were directed to provide all assistance to the committee.