Schools in a fix over circular on safety guidelines

A circular issued by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) on Monday, directing all aided and unaided schools to implement within October 31, 2014, the nine-point safety guidelines framed by the police recently has put the school managements in a fix. 

On September 25, after a meeting of education department officials, the police and school management representatives, a committee comprising members from the above departments was formed to discuss ways to overcome difficulties in implementing the nine-point guidelines. This followed directions from the High Court. 

The committee is expected to give its report in a week’s time. 

Nine-point guidelines

School managements are now confused on what to do, as the committee is yet to deliberate on the nine-point guidelines. 

“The committee has not even met once after the meeting on September 25. However, the DPI has issued this circular in the meantime. We, the school managements, are left in a state of confusion on what we are to do now. I have contacted officials from the education and police departments, but they have been too busy,” said D Shashi Kumar, organising secretary, Karnataka State Private School Managements Association.  

CCTV, GPS

However, it came to the fore that school managements had problems implementing two points in the nine safety guidelines.

The guidelines relating to the installation of CCTV cameras and GPS in buses and the hiring of security guards from agencies, were the schools had problems implementating.