Edu council issues 5-point norms to strengthen safety in Bihar schools
Patna: To enhance students' safety and ensure a secured environment, Bihar Education Project Council (BEPC) has issued fresh directives to all district education officers (DEOs) and district programme officers (DPOs), mandating strict adherence to the "School Safety and Protection Guidelines – 2021".
"This is in line with Supreme Court directives and National Education Policy 2020. Every school must now adhere strictly to the prescribed standards," said state project director Mayank Warwade in a letter to all DEOs and DPOs across the state.
The guidelines cover five broad areas, including infrastructure, health, emotional safety, cybersecurity and disaster management.
Warwade said the infrastructure includes boundary walls and emergency exits from the schools.
"Health and physical security requires schools to provide first aid kits, conduct regular health check-ups and maintain comprehensive health cards for each student. The emotional safety stresses classroom monitoring and age-appropriate education on personal safety, including the difference between "good touch" and "bad touch".
Cybersecurity protocols talks about computer labs with internet access," he said.
Talking about the disaster management guidelines, the project director said all schools must now have a disaster management plan and conduct mock drills regularly. "We want students and staff to be prepared, not panicked, in an emergency situation," he said, adding that the full guideline is available for download on the Union education ministry's website and will be monitored for compliance.
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