Seema.Mattoo@timesgroup.com

E ducational institutions inMumbai are now more alertand have intensified their

security measures following themurder of a seven-year-old studentin a school in Gurugram. To addressthe panic among parents, severalcity schools have sent mails andmessages to reassure parents aboutthe safety standards in schools.However, parents are still unsureabout their child’s safety and want to know how the authoritiesplan to improve security measuresin schools.SPECIAL PTA MEETINGSCONDUCTED AT SHORTNOTICEAfter the gruesome incident, schoolsconducted urgent PTA (ParentsTeachers Association) meetings toaddress the matter. RakhiMukherjee, Principal of UtpalShanghvi Global School says, “Wehad a special general body meetingof the PTA to get feedback on whatcan be done over and above the sys-tem in place. We also recently hosteda MISA (Members of InternationalSchools Association) meeting forsafety and security; 55 principalsfrom different international schoolscame together for it to discuss com-mon concerns.”

Dr Chandrakanta Pathak,Principal of HVB Global Academysays, “Teachers and students alsocarried out SWOT analysis to scruti-nise the situation. The PTA, alongwith our students, carried out anaudit and brainstormed on how totighten the security system. Ourtransport committee, womenharassment committee and griev-ance cell also had meetings to reviewthe situation with teachers andschool bus contractors.”SCHOOLS REACHED OUT TOPARENTS IMMEDIATELY Some parents are, however, allpraise for their schools as they sentout messages and emails to reassurethem that the security system was inplace where their children studied.Reveals media professional Amita

Bahal Chhatriya, “My daughtersstudy in Cambridge School, which isa part of the Ryan group of schools.When the news broke out about themurder of a school student, wereceived an update about moreCCTV cameras being installed in theschool. They also reassured us thatthere were lady attendants in thewashrooms throughout the workinghours and separate toilets werereserved for the male bus staff. Wefelt a sense of relief with the mail.Having said, I think we need strictvigilance in the school premises andmonitoring of the footage being col-lected to prevent a repetition of suchincidents.”SECURITY SYSTEMS AREBEING UPGRADEDWhile most schools maintain thatthe security systems were already inplace, they have been upgraded afterthe incident. According toMukherjee, “We conduct regularaudits at the school to check ifall the systems are in place. Thisincludes checking the fire safetymeasures. We also educate our staffregularly about being vigilant at alllevels. The local police station isaware of the CCTV coverage of theentire premise.”

Bhuvika Kukerja, parent to a 12-year-old, in Oberoi International

School, Goregaon, says that theschool has always been thoroughabout security and safety. “Theyeven do regular mock drills withkids and the staff. This gives them ahands-on training on how to dealwith emergency situations like fire,dangerous intruders, etc,” she adds.

Businessman Akshay Tandon’s(name changed) son studies inJankidevi Public School. “While ourschool had CCTV coverage earliertoo, they now have additional cam-eras on every floor and in the lift.There is a ‘didi’ stationed outsideevery washroom to make the kidsfeel safe.”TRANSPARENCY IS THENEED OF THE HOURSchools are going out of theirway to foster a healthy parent-school relationship. AddsPathak, “Besides all theguidelines issued by thevarious boards andregular psychometrictests, we involve thePTA completely inall activities. Ourstudents are equallyinvolved. We believethat trust betweenschools and parents isthe need of the hour.We need to maintain

transparency with parents — mak-ing them equally accountable andinvolved. I believe that my staff andparents are my real CCTVs.”Schools have also announced anopen-door policy where the parentscan directly approach the principalto address a serious grievance.ROUND-THE-CLOCK VIGILApart from adhering to regular safe-ty measures, it is not surprising tosee schools hire private securityagencies to maintain round-the-clock security. Says Vandana T,(name changed) a school coordina-tor from the western suburbs, “Theschool sees a rush of visitors, includ-

ing outsiders, at the time of annualday, open house, school exhibitionsor special functions and events. Sowe have bouncers to ward off anyuntoward situation. Many schoolsare discreet about hiring thesebouncers, but it does add to the senseof security.”STRINGENT ACTION IS THEONLY OPTION Despite all the measures taken, anair of insecurity still prevails. Someschools have also proposed that going forward,institutions will talk to the govern-ment to enforce serious punishments just like in countriesabroad, so that people think twice

about committing such heinouscrimes. Nand Kumar,Principal Secretary, State

school education depart-ment, says, “Though

we have issued guide-lines 2-3 years back,they still need to be revisited. We need tosensitise schools andthe staff who handlestudents. Theprocess has alreadybegun in some

schools, includingBMC schools, where

some of the best counsel-lors — who’ve worked at an

international level — havebeen meeting students and the

staff to understand the issues.”He adds that there are more plans

to be implemented. “A meet hasbeen organised by the government,where we will discuss measures to

BOMBAY TIMES, THE TIMES OF INDIA2 VARIETY FRIDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2017

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MISSION: MAKING MUMBAI SCHOOLS SECURE

Prathamesh Bandekar

WE RECENTLY HOSTED A MISA(MEMBERS OF INTERNATIONAL

SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION) MEETINGFOR SAFETY AND SECURITY; 55PRINCIPALS FROM DIFFERENTINTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS CAMETOGETHER FOR IT TO DISCUSS COMMONCONCERNS

— Rakhi Mukherjee, Principal, Utpal Shangavi School

IF THERE IS ANY LACUNAE, THEN THEYWILL BE GIVEN ADDITIONAL TIME TO

COMPLETE THE PROCESS, BUT IF ITSTILL CONTINUES TO FLOUT ALL RULES,STRICT ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINSTTHEM. WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TOBE LAX AS THE ISSUE HAS TAKEN ASERIOUS TURN

— Nand Kumar, Principal Secretary,State school education department

WHILE OUR SCHOOL HAD CCTVCOVERAGE EARLIER TOO, THEY NOW

HAVE ADDITIONAL CAMERAS ONEVERY FLOOR AND IN THE LIFT. THEREIS ALSO A ‘DIDI’ STATIONED OUTSIDEEVERY WASHROOM TO MAKE THE KIDSFEEL SAFE

— Akshay Tandon, Parent

help us implement the safetyguidelines in all schools acrossthe state. We are also meetingpeople who have worked on safe-ty audits. Parents opinion andtheir feedback will be givenimportance, too. We had theguidelines in place earlier, butthe checking was not regular. Butnow, it’s going to be very strict. If

any school is found not followingthe guidelines, then we will makethem follow it. If there is anylacunae, then they will be givenadditional time to complete theprocess, but if it still continues toflout rules, strict action will betaken against them. We can nolonger afford to be lax as the issuehas taken a serious turn.”

City schools,parents andpolice joinhands tokeepstudentssafe withnew andstrict safetyguidelines

MUMBAI POLICE TAKE OVERMumbai Police has also taken a serious view of the situation and increased their involvement inschools. As per reports, these are the plans that are being put in place:● Police officers to attend PTA meetings● Each school to get a dedicated pair of police officials, who will be in touch with school authorities on

a regular basis● They will keep a check on the security arrangements● They will also strictly follow the identity verification benchmarks for non-regular,

non-permanent employees● The Police will ensure that there is comprehensive CCTV coverage inside the school

Cops addressthe studentson safety

Checking footage onthe premises

For parents, IDcard is a must

Vigilant securityguards at theschool gate

CCTV cameras inthe classroom

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