Apart from imposing a total ban on child pornography, the Supreme Court (SC) of India, in an important and far-reaching directive has asked all the states and union territories to notify the guidelines on school safety and security. Although the guidelines were issued in 2021 in an effort to save school-going children from any sort of discrimination like bullying, sexual abuse, etc., only five states have notified the same so far. On its part, the SC has categorically asked the chief secretaries to ensure compliance with the guidelines in their respective states. Hopefully, after the strong stand taken by the apex court, the states will shed their lacklustre attitude towards child safety in schools, to stop the increasing numbers of complaints regarding the functioning of schools in the country.
Schools are supposed to be the sanctuaries for children and a place to groom them as responsible citizens. But unpleasant and disturbing incidents are often reported from schools from across the country, which clearly proves that educational institutions are failing to perform its duties. More worrying is the fact that most of the schools in the country do not have basic facilities to prevent such incidents. So, there is an urgent need to build necessary infrastructure in all schools to maintain round-the-clock vigil on students. The situation is particularly grave in schools situated in rural and remote areas, where classes are conducted in temporary structures.
To make school premises secure, use of modern technology including CCTV is necessary. This will enable the authorities to take suo moto cognizance of any abuse or violation of the set guidelines. For successful implementation and operation, the state government should chip in by providing funds. Failing to do so will defeat the very purpose of setting up guidelines. Besides that, teachers and parents should play its roles to safeguard children. If needed, expert committees comprising educators, child rights activists and parents can be formed to oversee the implementation of the guidelines. The SC has made it clear that any delay in compliance with the guidelines will be dealt with sternly and that offenders would not be spared. It should wake up the state governments and stakeholders from hibernation and take concrete steps to prevent Badlapur-like incidents. Creating a safe environment for children, be it at school or their homes, is imperative for their well-being.