Bengaluru: The Department of Primary and Secondary Education will soon direct all schools to hold regular sessions for students on “good touch and bad touch” and who to approach in case of a sexual abuse incident.
As per the draft of the Karnataka Educational Institutions Rules (Classification, Regulation and Prescription of Curricula), 2017, schools will be directed to hold sessions for teachers, non-teaching staff and parents to build awareness on child sexual abuse.
The department will also regularly check whether such sessions are held.
Background checks on drivers and attendants of school buses will be made
mandatory.
“Regular inspections should be done to ensure the driver is not under the influence of alcohol while on school work. They should also be regularly sensitised on protection and harassment policies of the educational institution,” the draft states. On students commuting to schools in autorickshaws and private vans, school managements will now have to instruct parents to ensure that only limited number of students, as prescribed by the RTO, take such vehicles.
No more leaky roofs
Schools will be asked to ensure that the floors are even with no pits or broken surfaces and roofs without leaks.
‘Social networking sites to be blocked’
According to Section 5 of the draft, which deals with cyber security, schools should install internet security systems which restrict access to social networking and porn sites. “Students should be educated on safe usage of technology and on the responsible use of mobiles, SMS, MMS, internet, mail or net chats and harmuful effects of pornography… School authorities, teachers and students should also be oriented on procedures to be followed in the event of cyber abuse or crime,” states the draft.
