Maharashtra board Std I textbooks include ChildLine & Pocso helpline numbers to promote child safety awareness
The textbooks also include information about "good and bad touch" and the Pocso helpline.
Praveen Aher, the project coordinator of ChildLine Nashik, said, "ChildLine is a 24-hour toll-free emergency phone service that offers immediate legal help for children in need of care and protection (CNCP). It can be accessed by anybody by dialling 1089. The same number has now been printed on the penultimate page of the textbooks of Std I after the textbooks were revised and printed as per the National Education Policy (NEP).
" He added as the books are updated for new standards each year, the helpline number will continue to be included.
The primary beneficiaries of this information are the children. Aher said, "This new book will be handled by a large number of students from school, home, and relatives and neighbours out of curiosity, and they will come across this ChildLine message. Some children face a lot of issues, but don't know what to do.
For them, ChildLine comes into the picture. Children or any adult can seek help from the system, but only for the help of a minor.
"
Kunda Shinde, a school teacher in a Nashik Municipal Corporation school, said the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act message is also included in the textbook. "A small message appealing to the children to 'press e-box' button available on ncpcr@gov.in if someone touches them inappropriately and seek help under the provision of Pocso has also been printed on the page," she said.
Shinde added, "It is another way of getting the system into the children's world and attempting to secure the environment for them."
Shinde conducted an exercise with the children and dialled the number. She said, "Children were attentively listening to it. The receivers of the ChildLine phone number introduced themselves to the children, and the children told them about the school. The children and parents present even noted the number. We will be conducting more such sessions for all the parents and the children soon."
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