'Schools should collect verification letters from police before recruiting staff

Superintendent of Police Rajendra Prasad has said that the aided and unaided schools should collect verification letters from the police department before recruiting their staff. 

Speaking at a district-level meeting on prevention of atrocities on children and implementation of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act here on Tuesday, he said school staff are involved in most of the atrocities against children. Before recruiting the teaching and non teaching staff, the schools should collect verification letter on the conduct of the applicants. 

The SP said that children are not aware of sexual assaults. How the parents should react when the incidents take place. As per Section 21 of POCSO Act, it is the duty of an individual to complain on the sexual assault cases. Those police, medical officers, parents and heads of educational institutions who try to hush up the case are liable to punishment. 

“A complaint box should be placed in the school premises. The issue of ragging is schools should be brought to the notice of the nearest police station to check atrocities. The use of mobile phones within the school premises should be banned completely. Arrangements will be made to ensure that police personnel will keep an eye on schools after the school hours,” he said. 

Deputy Commissioner S S Pattana Shetty said “an action plan has been prepared to check atrocities on children and women in the district. Accordingly, district level, taluk level officers, educational institution heads, Anganwadi workers, Sthree Shakti groups will create awareness on atrocities in the district. 

Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Member Vanita Torvi said that children are forced into begging. 

There is a need to initiate action against it. Awareness will be created on the implementation of POCSO Act. A workshop will be organised in the district in November. 

DDPI Diwakar Shetty said that aided and unaided schools have been directed to install CCTVs before October 31. If they fail to adhere to the rules, then funds from the government to such schools will be withheld. All the schools have been directed to install suggestion box. 

Additional DC Kumar, ZP deputy secretary (in charge) Vijay Kumar Shetty, Women and Child Welfare Deputy Director Gracy L Gonsalves and others were present.