The School Education Department of the Andhra Pradesh government is working to make schools safer by designing a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that address bullying and sexual harassment. The SOPs have been designed to ensure safety and security of students, particularly girls, while teachers and staff members in each school are being sensitised on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, as stated in a report by PTI.
Teachers and other staff members in each school are being trained in child protection norms, as per POCSO Act, and child sexual abuse prevention, the report by PTI stated. "The main issue is the lack of reporting in spite of widespread prevalence of abuse. We want to break the silence and discuss these issues with children so that they come forward and report. That will go a long way in checking harassment," School Education Commissioner S Suresh Kumar noted, as per PTI.
What does the SOP entail?
The guidelines have been prepared under the new initiative to protect children under the age of 18 years, Suresh Kumar told PTI. A school safety committee, child abuse monitoring committee and a school complaints committee, headed by the Principal, were being put in place in each school to address the issue. The child abuse monitoring committee will have, among others, an independent person with experience in child rights issues.
"We are putting up a specially-designed complaints box in each school to allow students to lodge complaints against their problems, bad experiences, etc. In case of complaints against a teacher or other staff, a discreet enquiry will be conducted to protect the complainant's identity," Suresh Kumar said, as per PTI.
Students were also being sensitised to freely seek support when required. Posters on child safety, with helpline numbers, were also being displayed prominently in schools. A mandal-level committee, comprising the local tehsildar and other officials, would scrutinise the complaints and recommend necessary action to the competent authority within 15 days.
Additionally, regular meetings with teachers and members of the school safety committee would be conducted to discuss issues related to school safety and security, to decide appropriate actions. Trained teachers and eminent persons would conduct special sessions on good touch-bad touch, untold sexual harassment, psychological counselling, household harassment and trafficking of children for sexual exploitation in all schools, including those run by private managements.
The Commissioner also noted that, "Every student needs to follow the guidelines on the safety and security issued by the school principal and teachers. Senior students could discuss various issues like bullying and sexual harassment with the younger ones under the guidance of teachers."
Also, students could use the complaints box to inform school authorities in case they observe supply of tobacco, drugs or related substances inside or outside the school premises. "Our ultimate objective is to make schools a safer place, free from any form of harassment and vices. We are enlisting the support of not only the teachers and staff but also the students, parents and others concerned to make this a successful initiative," Suresh Kumar said.
Similar initiatives
In a bid to reduce the number of cases related to sexual abuse of minors, the Ernakulam Rural Police has launched the “Valaratte Vadathirikatte” programme to empower children against such dreaded offences in society. The school-level programme is being carried out with the assistance of the pink police units which are established for preventing crimes against women and children.
