A day after a portion of a government school in Rajasthan collapsed killing seven children and leaving 28 injured, the Ministry of Education on Saturday issued a directive to all States and Union territories mandating them to conduct audits of safety mechanisms and facilities for children in schools. The Education Ministry has also called for schools to ensure the structural integrity of buildings.
“States and UTs must take urgent steps to ensure students’ safety and well-being. This includes mandatory safety audits of schools and child-related facilities as per national safety codes, training for staff and students in emergency preparedness, and the provision of psychosocial support through counselling and peer networks,” MoE statement said.
“Structural integrity, along with fire safety, emergency exits, and electrical wiring, must be thoroughly assessed. It must be ensured that staff and students are trained in emergency preparedness, including evacuation drills, first aid, and safety protocols,” said a MoE official.
The ministry recommended that collaborations with local authorities (NDMA, fire services, police, and medical agencies) must be strengthened to conduct periodic training sessions and mock drills. In addition to physical safety, mental health and emotional well-being must be prioritised through counselling services, peer support systems.
“Any dangerous situation, near miss, or incident involving potential harm to children or youth must be reported within 24 hours to the designated state or UT authority. Strict accountability must be ensured in cases of delay, negligence, or failure to act,” said the statement.
Parents, community leaders, and local bodies should be encouraged to remain vigilant and report unsafe conditions in schools, public areas, or modes of transportation used by children and youth. “The ministry has urged education departments, school boards, and affiliated authorities to act without delay in implementing the above measures,” the official said.
School safety audit is a comprehensive assessment of a school’s safety mechanisms and facilities to identify potential hazards and ensure a safe learning environment for students.
It also includes mechanisms and facilities to identify potential hazards and ensure a safe learning environment for students and the staff.
A day earlier the Supreme Court issued a pan-India guidelines to combat the rise in suicides and mental health issues among students in educational institutions, The court said there remained a “legislative and regulatory vacuum” in the country with respect to a unified, enforceable framework for suicide prevention of students in educational institutions, coaching centres, and student-centric environments.
While issuing 15 guidelines, the SC bench said the measures should remain in force and binding, until such time as appropriate legislation or regulatory frameworks were enacted by the competent authority. All educational institutions were directed to adopt and implement a uniform mental health policy, drawing cues from the “Ummeed” draft guidelines, the “Manodarpan” initiative, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. “This policy shall be reviewed and updated annually and made publicly accessible on institutional websites and notice boards of the institutes,” the bench said.