The state’s School Education Department has issued a fresh set of safety guidelines for all schools, mandating three attendance checks each day—morning, midday and afternoon. Under recommendations made by a court‑appointed committee chaired by a retired judge, schools must immediately notify parents via SMS if a student is absent during any of these rounds.
Additional rules for private schools include:
- Installation of CCTV cameras at classroom doors, corridors, main gates, playgrounds and outside toilets, with a minimum one‑month video backup.
- Mandatory police‑verified character certificates for all teaching and non‑teaching staff; anyone with a criminal record must be dismissed at once.
- Separate toilets for boys and girls, each monitored by an attendant, and equipped with water, lighting and an emergency bell.
- Deployment of a security guard at the main entrance and strict measures to block unauthorised entry.
The department has underscored that overall responsibility for student safety rests squarely on each individual school.
