CISCE sets deadline to act on sex abuse plaints

KOLKATA: The Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on Tuesday issued a safety manual for 2,300 schools — 400 in Bengal — affiliated under it to ensure a safe campus for students. The Council has, among other guidelines, instructed all schools to report any incident or abuse of akid to the local police within 24 hours, file a report within two days and take punitive action against the accused within aweek.
“The manual has been designed to ensure safety of children and female teachers in schools. The book is meant to serve as a single guideline for all schools affiliated to the Council,” said CISCE chief executive and secretary Gerry Arathoon. “The manual covers a wide range of topics that the school administration needs to be made aware of and implement them wherever needed.”

In section 6 of the 69-page manual, guidelines have been specified on ensuring psychological and emotional well-being of a child. Three specific abuses — sexual, physical and emotional — have been categorised. The teachers have been asked to keep an eye on the symptoms. Henceforth, all institutes will have to keep a reporting cell where students can complaint about any form of abuse. Moreover, all employees will have to give an undertaking that they have not been convicted and accused under Pocso and other sexual offences Act. Anyone found to violate the Act will have to be removed from the post immediately.

“The students have to be told not to disclose any personal information on social media or internet. They have been advised to report any uncomfortable encounter with unknown individuals online to their parents. Schools have been told to include self defence classes in their curriculam,” said a teacher.

This apart, the schools will have to hold sensitising sessions with parents, where the latter will be made aware of the symptoms of abuse and the implications. A set of rules and regulations for all stakeholders, including parents, will have to be framed by the schools and displayed. The Council has laid down rules for children with

special needs. Also, contractual staff verification and police verification for outdoor agencies have been made compulsory.

With several cases of abuse being reported from co-education schools, the Council has specified to segregate washrooms for boys and girls. “They should be located on separate floors” — reads the manual. Senior students have been barred from entering toilets for junior and middle school children.

Aschool safety sub-committee will have to be put in place with eight members and equal gender representation. Even students should be part of the committee as a member representative. The secretary of the management committee will have to be the chairperson.

“This is always good and we appreciate the effort since it will enhance the safety of students. But, we also need to ascertain the cost implications for implementing the instructions. We will have to take a quote from specialised agency and then do the needful,” said Nabarun De, principal of Central Modern School, Baranagar.