CBSE notice after Ryan student’s murder: 12 safety measures school failed to ensure

The CBSE issued a show-cause notice to Gurgaon’s Ryan International School on Saturday, asking why its affiliation should not be withdrawn and said it failed to have in place “basic security measures”.

A two-member committee was set up by the CBSE following the murder of an eight-year-old boy last week. The panel said it appeared from the sequence of events that Ryan’s International was guilty of gross negligence.

The Ryan International authorities have to reply to the notice within 15 days, failing which action will be taken against them.

Here are 12 counts the school failed on, according to the panel:

1) Sufficient CCTV cameras at prominent places have not been installed and most of the cameras in the school building are not functioning.

2) The student’s death could have been averted had the school authorities discharged their duty with care and sincerity.

3) The toilet windows have no grills and people can access it easily from outside.

4) The school management failed to inform the police and education department about the death of the student, which shows negligence on their part. The incident was reported to the police by the parents.

5) The school has engaged around 35 buses for the transportation of students and staff. There are no provisions of separate toilets/washrooms for bus drivers, conductors and cleaners.

6) No attendant/aaya was present at the toilet meant for children.

7) The principal of the school resigned in February. Since then, no regular principal has been appointed to look after the routine work of the school.

8) The school building has five floors – three floors are used for teaching and remaining two floors are not in use. Students can access the unused classrooms as they are not locked. They can easily access the building’s terrace as it remains unlocked. The electricity panel room also remains unlocked, which is dangerous for the students.

9) The boundary wall is not high enough and no barbed wires have been put on three sides. As a result, anybody can jump and enter in the school premises.

10) The school could not produce safety certificates as per affiliation bylaws. The fire safety certificate expired in May and the school did not renew it.

11) The school doesn’t provide potable water to the students and the staff. No RO (reverse osmosis) plant has been installed in the school. Water drawn from a borewell is supplied through a few small Aqua Guards.

12) There are no ramps and special toilets for differently abled students.