
There have been many such incidents in the schools of the country in recent times, which shook everyone. Somewhere the dilapidated buildings of the school collapsed, somewhere the children were injured due to negligence, and in some cases the innocent children lost their lives. These accidents have once again raised serious questions about the safety of children in schools. In view of all these concerns, the Ministry of Education has taken strict steps and has issued strict instructions to all states and union territories regarding the safety of children. The ministry clearly says that now no negligence will be tolerated. No compromise can be made with the lives and safety of children.
Why is security in schools so important?
School is the place where children not only study, but also decorate their future. This is the second home for them, where they spend a large part of their day. But if this place is not safe, then how will the trust of parents and children remain intact? In view of all these problems, the Ministry of Education has decided that now security will have to be given the most importance in schools. For this, the Ministry has written clear instructions to the Chief Secretaries of all the states to further strengthen the security system in schools. The ministry has also said that the school safety guidelines of 2021 and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will have to strictly follow the 2016 school security policies.
Major points of ministry instructions
The Ministry of Education has emphasized many important points in its instructions, which are mandatory to implement immediately. Let us understand these points in detail.
1. Safety audit required in every school
The first and essential step is the safety check of schools i.e. safety audit. The ministry has said that a thorough investigation should be conducted in public places related to every school and children. In this investigation, special attention will have to be paid to many things.
- Building strength: Is the school building old? Is he so strong that earthquake or other natural disaster?
- Fire Safety: Whether or not there are essential equipment required to prevent fire in school, whether there are fire extinguisher, smoke detector and sprinkler system?
- Emergency Exit: If there is an accident, is there a way to emergency exit in the school? Are these routes clean and ready for use?
- Electric wiring: Are the electrical wires safe in the school? Is there any open wire or bad wiring, causing a short circuit or fire risk?
The ministry has said that these audit should be done from time to time and their report will have to be sent to the state governments. If a school does not live up to these standards, then immediate action will be taken against it.
2. Training of staff and children
Security is not limited to buildings just. It is also necessary to prepare school staff and children to deal with accidents. For this, the Ministry has given many instructions.
- Emergency training: All teachers, employees and students should be trained to deal with emergency. It should have complete information about what to do during fire, earthquake or other accidents.
- First aid information: At least some employees should undergo first aid training in every school. There should be a system of immediate treatment in case of minor injury.
- evacuation drill: Schools will have to drill mock drills from time to time, in which children should be taught how to get out of school safely during the accident.
- Saids with local agencies: Schools will have to work closely with agencies like local police, fire department, health department and NDMA. With the help of these agencies, security in schools can be improved further.
3. Mental and emotional security of children
Nowadays there are not only physical threats in front of children, but also mental and emotional challenges. The atmosphere of calling, stress or fear in school can harm the mental health of children. That is why the ministry has instructed schools to focus on mental health of children.
4. Immediate reporting system
The ministry has also made it clear that if there is an accident in the school or there is a danger, then the information will have to be given to the officials concerned within 24 hours. If a school or employee is negligent in this, then strict action will be taken against him. For this, a strong reporting system will be created, so that the information of every incident should reach the top immediately.
States responsibility
The Ministry of Education has asked all the states and union territories to take these instructions seriously. Every state will have to examine the status of its schools here and ensure that all schools follow safety standards. The ministry has also said that from time to time, it will take stock of the condition of the schools itself and if there is a deficiency, then the responsible people will have to answer.
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