New Delhi
Lieutenant governor (LG) Taranjit Singh Sandhu directed for a comprehensive audit of all government and private schools in the city to assess their adherence to the provisions and guidelines of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, officials familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Holding a review with the police commissioner, secretary of women and child development and education director on Tuesday, Sandhu directed the education department to enforce strict compliance and initiate firm action against institutions found lacking in the implementation of these critical measures.
Some of the critical measures, recommended by central agencies to complement the POCSO Act, include holding awareness campaigns for students, ensuring staff background checks and forming internal panels, besides immediate reportage of any offences.
The LG directed officials concerned to file detailed reports on the action taken or planned against defaulters, in each instance. He also directed officials to ensure that every school must have the mandatory dedicated child protection committee, and that they meet regularly to monitor the environment.
Instructions were also issued to the authorities to observe July as “Child Protection” month and carry out a dedicated, citywide month-long campaign to create awareness about child protection and ensure mandatory training of all stakeholders. He also directed that a comprehensive report of the campaign’s execution and outcomes be submitted to him.
The LG directed Delhi Police to ensure robust and visible deployment around school premises and prominent student hubs, and emphasised that police presence must be intensified especially during school dispersal hours, to deter any untoward incident and strengthen public confidence.
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