Now, PSEB textbooks have POCSO Act, child helpline info

When you experience an unsafe touch, you may feel bad, confused and helpless, you need not feel bad because it’s not your fault. Press this ebox button and you can call 1098. READS THE ADVISORY

: The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has put information on Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and 24x7 children helpline number 1098 on the back cover of textbooks of Class 1 to 12.

However, the back cover of English and Punjabi textbooks of Class 6 to 12 does not carry this information.

The step has been taken keeping in mind the rising number of crimes against children in Punjab and to equip them with the information about the possibility of sexual harassment and the remedial measures.

“When you get an unsafe touch, you may feel bad, confused and helpless, you need not feel bad because it’s not your fault. Press this e-box button and you can call 1098,” reads the advisory supported by pictorials.

Shalini Sharma, a teacher at Government Primary School, Dugri, said, “We received the textbooks of Classes 4 and 5 last week and this time the board has given information to make students aware about what they need to do and where to call in case of emergency.”

This will definitely be beneficial to the students, she said.

ROAD SAFETY SIGNS

In yet another move to educate students about traffic rules, the board has included 53 traffic signs.

These signs are on inside of the back cover of all English textbooks of Class 1 to 12.

BOOKS ON NCERT PATTERN

The board has changed all the textbooks of Classes 1 to 5 (except Hindi) from this academic session on the pattern of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks by translating them. The textbooks are more activity-oriented and students.

PSEB chairman Manohar Kant Kalohia, said, “It’s the need of the hour to educate children studying in government schools about the child helpline numbers. This is the reason we added information to most of the textbooks.”