Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday launched a project to install CCTV cameras in all government schools in the national capital. Kejriwal, who launched the project at Shaheed Hemu Kalani Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Lajpat Nagar locality, said more than 1,000 Delhi government schools would have the facility by November, PTI reported.
“It is a historic milestone in school education in the country and the world as live feed from classrooms will be provided to parents on their mobile phones through an app,” Kejriwal said after the launch. The DGS Live app can be downloaded from the Google Play store. After downloading the app, the parents will get a message from the government control room, and will be able to access live classroom feed after proper verification.
Kejriwal said private schools had already been asked to install CCTVs, and would be directed to strictly implement the order.
The chief minister dismissed concerns that the order would violate schoolchildren’s privacy. “There will be no privacy breach, children go to school for education, to learn discipline and become good citizens of the country... they do not go there for anything private,” he claimed. Kejriwal said the cameras would ensure his government’s accountability to people.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia interacted with some parents who supported the move, PTI reported. He claimed that teachers and students also welcomed the decision. There will be two CCTV cameras in each classroom, and the entire school, barring washrooms, will be under surveillance.
Kejriwal announced in a tweet on Sunday that he had launched also another project to install CCTV cameras throughout the city. In August, the Delhi Cabinet had cleared a proposal to install CCTV cameras throughout the national capital, claiming that it would improve safety for women.
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