The ST and SC Development Department has issued strict guidelines for the safety and security of students in schools and hostels functioning under the department. It aims at ensuring an enabling environment for students in schools and hostels and to protect them from any act of sexual harassment and abuse.
Sources said, a total of 1,670 residential schools with over 4,700 hostels are running under the department. Around 4,50,000 students are studying in these schools, out of which about 60 per cent students are girls. The guidelines have various preventive and protective measures for sexual abuse, code of conduct and duties of staff, code of conduct for students, interaction between staff and students, environmental safeguards, recording the movement of boarders/visitors. Moreover, the procedure for reporting and action taken by the different Government functionaries are also outlined in the guidelines.
Besides, School and Hostel Monitoring Guidelines are also being issued by the Department. School Monitoring Report of DWOs, ADWOs and DI along with their tour report will be submitted to ST and SC Development Department through e-mail.