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Schools be Prepared for Dire Consequences if Ignoring Safety Regulations
During the last academic year, the city police had issues directives regarding students’ safety; the schools who have failed to comply with these directives will face the consequences.
During the last academic year, the city police had issues directives regarding students' safety which included compulsorily covering the premises, including the parking areas, with CCTV cameras, issuing identity cards to autorickshaw/bus drivers and get their character certificates from the police before appointing them.
Assistant commissioner of police (crime) Khushalchand Baheti said, "As per primary reports, hardly any school or its management has turned up to the respective police stations for providing details about their drivers and attendants."
The police said strict actions need to be taken as almost all the schools have failed to comply with the directives.
According to the sources, the police are also planning to scan the records of class-IV employees of various educational institutes.
Last year, city police commissioner Amitesh Kumar had issued specific directives after a minor girl was repeatedly raped by the owner and driver of an autorickshaw, which was hired for ferrying the girl to the school. Under section 376 of IPC and Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the accused Ramdas Khamat (42) and Ramesh Ahir (22) were arrested for threatening the girl with dreadful consequences.
After a revelation came to notice through the probe, the accused were assaulting the girl in the parking lot of the school during recess for six months before the incident coming to light, which left the senior police officers stunned.
Kumar told, "As the academic year has started, the safety of school-going children, especially girls, is on our priority list. We will ensure that all the safety norms are followed by the schools."
"The city police might have to resort to action against the educational set-ups for failing to follow the safety norms. The message would be conveyed to them during an upcoming meet," he added.
Deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) Sandeep Atole said, "The list of directives issued to the schools last year include covering the entire school premises with CCTV cameras, obtaining character certificate of the drivers and bus attendants and issuing them identity cards."
The officer said the schools would be given a deadline to comply and report back to the area police station at the earliest and those failing to do so would face the music, he said.
The police station-wise data about the number of government/civic body-run and private schools would be collected so that a proper record about the compliance of the directives is maintained and the education department would take up the issue with school managements, with whom a meeting would be held any time next week.
District education officer RS Mogal said that the education department is also preparing its own list of directives, which the schools will have to follow.
Education department officials have not only welcomed the move of the city police, but also supported their stand of complying with student-related safety norms, realising its importance with the growing dangers.
Aurangabad district has about 4,000 schools in which approximately eight lakh students are enrolled. Of these schools, 860 are in the city, including 70 run by the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation.
Image courtesy: schoolfusion