Monitor kids online, schools tell parents

GURUGRAM: Many private schools across the city as well as other NCR cities are asking parents to sign an undertaking to keep a watch on their children’s online activities. They also asked parents not to give mobile handsets to children.

Last year, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and CBSE had issued guidelines for schools to monitor students while they do online activities and ensure their safety.Aditi Misra, principal of DPS, Sector 45, said, “Students of grades 11 and 12 are allowed to bring a mobile phone to school, but they have to hand it over to the teacher. They can collect when they’re going home. But at home, they may go into slightly unsafe territory while on the internet. The parents here have signed an undertaking that they will not give a smartphone to kids, and will keep an eye on their online activities.”

Deepika Sharma, principal of DPSG Palam Vihar, said, “We gave an advisory to parents of students whose phones were confiscated in August to keep a watch on what they’re doing online. We have not issued a mass undertaking yet.”

Alongside the advisory, schools are also teaching cyber etiquette to students and some also have a cyber security team to help parents and students be aware of the negative impacts, like being subjected to bullying.

Arpita Acharya, vice principal, Blue Bells Public School said, “We have an effective cyber awareness team, which has been issuing advisory to students, teachers and parents to make them aware of safety issues.”

Parents too expressed support in the move. “It is imperative that schools and parents make a joint effort in keeping kids safe and make them aware about the right use of smartphones and technology in general,” said Manish Aryan, whose son studies in Class IV at Lancers International School.