The Delhi government has asked all schools in the national Capital to report any “untoward incident” to senior authorities before the information reaches the media.
This will help the government take appropriate action and avoid embarrassment, the Directorate of Education wrote in a letter, dated August 9, to principals. The directorate said the aim was to ensure better monitoring and take preventive measures at higher administrative levels.
The heads of schools have been asked to immediately report “any untoward incident like accident, violence, dharna, quarrel, fire, protest, demonstration, theft, stampede, molestation, serious injury, attempt to suicide, death”, among others. “In case the head of the school is not able to send a detailed report to higher authorities, telephonic information is to be given immediately, followed by a detailed report later on the same day,” the directorate wrote.
The education department said appropriate action cannot be taken in time when reports of such incidents are received through media or other sources. This “increases the threat to safety and security of students and also causes otherwise avoidable embarrassment to department”, it added.
The department said suitable action would be taken against principals who do not follow the order.
On Friday, an electrician was arrested for allegedly raping a Class 2 student in a government-run school in Delhi. The accused, who works in the school, was sent to judicial custody for 14 days.
Following the incident, the National Human Rights Commission issued notices to the chief secretary of the government and the city police commissioner, asking them to submit a report within a month. The Delhi Commission for Women also issued notices to the police and the school.
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