MARGAO: In a significant move towards ensuring the safety of children in educational institutions, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has issued a crucial advisory to all heads of educational institutes in Goa, which focuses on the enforcement of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 (POCSO Act) and aims to address issues such as eve-teasing, sexual abuse, and other forms of abuse. The aim is to create a safer environment for students.
These measures outlined in the advisory emphasizes the importance of awareness among various stakeholders within the school community.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
In the event of a child reporting an incident of sexual abuse, the advisory instructs immediate reporting to a counsellor, who can provide psycho-social and emotional support to the victim. Counsellors are mandated to cooperate and assist every child reporting such incidents. If the incident is directly reported to the counsellor, it becomes the counsellor’s duty to document and report the incident to the police station, with intimation to the headmaster of the institution.
In cases where a school lacks a counsellor, teachers are instructed to document the incident and forward it in writing to the headmaster or in-charge, who is then responsible for forwarding the information to the police for investigation. The urgency of the matter is underscored, with the headmaster required to inform the police not beyond 12 hours after receiving the information.
Importantly, the internal committees established under the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (POSH) 2013, such as the ‘Internal Complaints Committee’ or ‘Vishaka Committee,’ and the School Management Committee are explicitly excluded from dealing with cases or allegations of child sexual abuse.
Furthermore, the advisory emphasizes the proactive measures that educational institutions must take to prevent child sexual abuse. These include the installation of CCTV cameras and warning signs in strategic areas, monitoring the activities of staff, visitors, and strangers on school grounds, overseeing activities involving the use of technology or the internet, and conducting thorough background checks of staff before hiring to ensure a lack of previous records of sexual abuse.
In addition to these measures, the headmaster of each institution is obligated to take necessary steps mandated under the POCSO Act 2012 and promptly inform the department of the actions taken, not exceeding 24 hours. This information is also to be conveyed to the District Child Protection Unit and GSCPCR, providing comprehensive support to victims and ensuring compliance with the POCSO Act.
