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Here is how parents should ensure safety of their kids in schools

Parents, please question the school authorities about the child safety measures they need to abide by. It is your right to know.

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Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : December 10, 2017 12:45 PM IST

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Telangana government here on Saturday ordered closure of all educational institutions and banned public gatherings till March 31.

There was a time when we taught our kids that school is their second home. They could trust teachers and staff at schools. But this is simply impossible today as we hear of child sexual abuse happening rampantly inside school premises. Every day, we read about a child rape, molestation happening in the school in some corner of the country. The recent one where a 7-year-old was murdered inside Gurgaon s Ryan International after he objected to the sexual advances of a bus conductor has shocked the entire nation. This horrendous crime happened minutes after the child entered the school premises. Read more about the murder of the school kid here.

This incident has raised enough agitation among parents and public alike where they are questioning the safety measures undertaken by the schools and demanding a thorough background check of all the staff employed by the authority. There is a lot more that we should demand from the school for the sake of our kid s safety, but we as parents should also do our bit to ensure the same. Here are things that we should do:

Communicate with your child more: Okay, we all do this, but the usual communication like, How was your day, and did you eat your lunch or gave it to your friend, is not enough. As parents, we need to get to the details of everything that has happened during the day, at school. Asking more relevant questions will help you get to know things better, like,

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  • Are you happy?
  • Were you sad at school today?
  • Were you accompanied by the 'mausi' or aunty when you went to the toilet? (especially if your kid is in the pre-primary section)
  • Do you go to the toilet unaccompanied?
  • Did you get hurt anywhere?
  • Whom did you speak to apart from your teachers and classmates?
  • Did anyone ask you anything unusual?
  • Did anyone touch you anywhere that you didn t like?

Such direct questions will help you get an idea if your kid is in danger or exploited in any way sexually. Here is how to empower your child against sexual abuse and help to be alert.

Demand to know the security arrangements from the school authorities: When you attend the PTM meetings ask the school authorities to show you the kind of security arrangements they follow. Like,

  • If there are CCTV cameras installed in all places (corridors, washroom doors, class rooms, stair cases) with close uninterrupted surveillance by a staff member or someone from the PTA committee?
  • If the school will allow live streaming of CCTV camera footage available to the parents? It is a valid demand given the number of child abuse cases on the rise. In fact, a reputed school in Delhi has come up with a plan to issue radio frequency ID cards to kids with special tracking chip to ensure their safety and security throughout the day. This new technology will enable automatic recognition of students while entering and exiting school buses and notify the parents via SMS.
  • Ask for a thorough background check of the staff members of both teaching and non-teaching members.
  • Know if there is a child abuse prevention committee that will address issues related to abuse
  • If the school prohibits entry of outsiders like conductors, drivers and labourers to the premises and toilets to ensure kids are safe.
  • If there are separate staffs to help little kids in the toilets, like male and female helpers for boys and girls? Here is the list of rules and regulations directed by the Supreme Court to be followed by the schools to ensure the safety of kids.

Demand to know the security arrangements taken by the school in case of outdoor picnics: It is not only about the safety inside the school, at times students can be subjected to abuse during an outdoor event like picnic or camping. If you are going to send your child to the picnic ask the authority:

  • Why they are sending a waiver form that states school will not be responsible for any mishaps or accidents and parents have to send students at their own risks. What kind of security arrangement do they have in place as a child s well-being is also their responsibility?
  • If they will allow parents who are from the PTA team to accompany during overnight trips, to ensure safety and transparency.

If we can get these things sorted to an extent we can curb the rising numbers of cases of child sexual abuse happening in school.

Image source: Shutterstock

Debjani Arora

Debjani Arora

Debjani is a new mother, a Bengali who likes north Indian food and has a sweet tooth she loves to nurture. Having worked with magazines like Mother & Baby India, Health & Nutrition, The English daily and The Asian Age , she loves writing, reading, traveling ... Read More