Cong MLA offers to pay for CCTVs in city schools

Congress legislator from Chandivali Arif Naseem Khan on Monday announced plans to sponsor CCTVs in economically weak schools, especially in slums, “to ensure that students’ security is not compromised in any manner”.

The former state minister also appealed to all legislators and parliamentarians of Maharashtra to come forward with similar sponsorships for poor schools in the wake of the September 8 murder of a seven-year old student of Ryan International School in Haryana.

Addressing a meeting of over 100 school trustees, principals, parent-teacher associations, education department and police officials to discuss students security, Khan said parents and children have suffered a loss of confidence in schools after the Haryana incident.

“Many children may have been victims of mild or serious forms of offences on their school premises, but their parents are too scared to bring it to the notice of the schools or the police,” Khan told IANS. For this, he said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis must direct the Education Department to set up a special school helpline number where the students or their parents could report such instances without fear of repercussions and the government must promptly follow-up with remedial actions.

“It’s a matter of regret that despite the Bombay High Court orders to the state government over a year ago to install CCTV in all schools, nearly half of the 5,000 plus schools in Mumbai remain without CCTVs and students, especially young girls, continue to be at risk,” Khan said.