Sabitha Reddy holds meeting to discuss students’ safety

HYDERABAD: School security is not limited to providing facilities and physical safety but needs to be looked at from a wider perspective, said Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy at a meeting held on Saturday at the Dr Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute here to discuss measures to be taken for the safety and security of students.

The meeting was held in the backdrop of the horrific rape of an LKG student in her school.Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that since children spend most of their time in schools, there is a need to make the school environment, including the surroundings, comfortable, safe and protective. It will also help foster children’s social and creative learning. The sense of insecurity will impact their educational development, she added.

Addressing the committee members, the minister said that special measures need to be taken to build confidence among parents that they can send their children to school without hesitation. She assured that the State government understands the mental condition of the parents.

The government has already suggested some guidelines to schools regarding the safety of the students. A mechanism has also been established to ensure that the measures are being followed, Sabitha Reddy said, asking the committee members to suggest additional measures to be taken. She has requested the committee members to discuss this with the parents, intellectuals and experts in the field of education and give appropriate suggestions to the government.

DGP Mahender Reddy, Additional DGP Swathilakra, Education Secretary Vakati Karuna, School Education Director Devasena, Women and Child Welfare Special Secretary Divya, DIG Sumathi and others participated in this meeting.