Maharashtra Drafts New Policy To Enhance Student Safety In Schools

Pune, 7th December 2024: A policy has been drafted to enhance student safety in schools across Maharashtra. This includes provisions such as alarms in school toilets, CCTV surveillance on school premises, and the installation of complaint boxes. The Directorate of Primary Education, Government of Maharashtra, has instructed school management to implement these measures immediately. Director of Primary Education, Sharad Gosavi, shared details about the initiative.

A recent meeting chaired by retired Bombay High Court judge Sadhana Jadhav discussed policies to ensure student safety. Based on the committee’s recommendations, recognized schools have been directed to take immediate action.

Key provisions include maintaining clean and usable toilets, ensuring female staff are available for children under six, installing alarm or warning systems in toilets, and operational CCTV systems with footage stored for at least a month. Female staff must oversee school transportation, and grievance redressal committees should be active, with regular meetings held. Complaint boxes in schools must be opened at least twice a week in the presence of the Parent-Teacher Committee Chairperson and the Sakhi Savitri Committee Chairperson, and prompt action must follow.

Additional measures include the establishment of child protection and Sakhi Savitri committees, the implementation of safety programs, and ensuring students do not remain on school premises after hours. Each school must appoint a teacher for student counselling, and these counsellors will receive training from the State Council of Educational Research & Training(SCERT), Maharashtra.