Haryana makes it must for all schools to have CCTV cameras

CHANDIGARH: Schools in Haryana will have to install close circuit television (CCTV) cameras covering entire premises, constitute safety committees, ensure safe to and fro transportation facility for students and take steps in generating awareness among the students on ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch’ as well as internet hazards.

A school education department spokesperson said these and other safety regulations have been approved for all schools in the state.

He said all schools, whether government for private, would have to install CCTV cameras at entry and exit points, in all corridors and staircases, library, infirmary, auditorium, inside elevators, dining halls, sports rooms, computer labs, entrance to classrooms, entrance to toilets, sports fields, swimming pools, areas where buses assemble, entry and exit point of premises, any point on the outer perimeter or wall which is vulnerable, and which could show footage of persons attempting to gain entry to the premises, especially covering persons outside the main entrance.

He said schools would have to constitute district safety committee under the chairmanship of deputy commissioner, committee at sub-divisional level head by sub divisional magistrate and school safety committee under the chairmanship of principal to ensure implementation of the regulations on safety norms and to provide for a standing mechanism to have supportive supervision of the schooling system.

REFRESHER TRAINING COURSE FOR DRIVERS EVERY 6 MONTHS

Besides, a number of safety measures on school buses, bus in-charge should ensure that all drivers attend a refresher training course every 6 months.

He said the buses should be painted in yellow with the name of school and route number displayed prominently. It should not have curtains or dark films and should have internal white lighting.

The buses should have a valid certificate of fitness, pollution and insurance certificate and should have horizontal grills on the windows. The buses should have a qualified driver and conductor.

Children reaching school by bused should have a safe passage from the bus to the school premises. Ideally, the bus should stop within the boundary wall of the premises. If access makes this impossible, then there must be school guards present to ensure safe passage of children from bus drop point to school gate and every single bus has been emptied and no child has remained in a bus, before the buses move to park or leave the premises as may be the case. At dispersal time, children of classes KG to 2 must be accompanied to the school bus in a group by a designated representative.

EVERY BUS SHOULD HAVE FEMALE TEACHER, HELPER

Every bus should have one female teacher and one female helper present on the route. Therefore, the presence of an adult female is essential before the first student boards the bus at the start of the journey and also till the last student gets off at the end of the journey. Attendance of all children on that route must be taken by the teacher in-charge of the bus at the start of the journey and at departure time. Routing should be accordingly planned so that the first and last child is not a female.

Routing of the bus should be planned so that children are dropped as close as possible to their residence.