New Delhi: To ensure safety of school children, the government on Monday decided to put information about a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) e-box and a child helpline (1098) in the textbooks which will also be made available at the schools.
The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting headed by Union ministers Maneka Gandhi and Prakash Javadekar to develop a protocol for educational institutions to ensure safety of students in the wake of growing incidents of sexual assaults on children in schools.
Speaking to reporters, WCD minister Maneka Gandhi said a decision has also been taken to ensure female drivers for school buses. “Women will be trained for this through the a special fund,” she added. A special movie, Komal, aimed at educating children to the good and bad touch will also be shown in schools. Apart from the ministers, the meeting was attended by top officials of the ministries of WCD and human resource development as well as representative of the National Commission of Protection of Child Rights, CBSE, NCERT and KV Sangathan.
Sources said the schools will also be asked to conduct gender sensitisation classes. That school management panels have increase the parents’ involvement whose role is likely to be defined by law.
