Focusing on fixing system; govt will decide on principal: Badlapur achool admin

The Badlapur school which was shut down following the sexual assault of two toddlers by a contractual staff member in August is completely operational now Kunda Pandit deputy education officer of Thane district and the administrator of the Badlapur school speaks to midday about the new challenges the administration facesExcerpts from middayrsquos chat with PanditHow are you managing the school after the unfortunate incident in August What challenges have you facedThere havent been many challenges in terms of school administration itself However as an education officer my responsibilities include visiting other schools and handling my own office work in addition to taking over as the administrator of this school Balancing these duties has been a key aspect of my role Initially I visited the school daily to ensure everything was under control Over time I reduced my visits to three or four days a week but I still come in as needed While I cant share the internal workings of the school I can say that wersquove regularised the schoolrsquos operations Teachers head teachers and supervisors are running the daytoday activities under our guidance We are doing everything possible to provide a safe environment for the children which includes addressing any gaps we identified like improving administrative processes where necessaryWhat steps have been taken to ensure student safetyWersquove implemented several safety measures Apart from ensuring the cleanliness of the school premises and the proper functioning of CCTV cameras weve strictly followed safety regulations as outlined in a recent government resolution GR Defunct CCTV cameras in the school buildings have been repaired and cameras have been installed in areas that previously lacked them All staff members now undergo background checks before being allowed to work at the school Our efforts are ongoing and were implementing these measures in other schools across the Thane district as wellIs there a plan to appoint an incharge principal for the schoolWe are following government directives My primary role is to oversee the administration and ensure the school functions smoothly Right now Irsquom focused on identifying and rectifying any flaws in the system Any decision regarding the appointment of an incharge principal will be made by the government and we will act accordingly when the time comesWhat changes have you seen in the schoolrsquos operations since you were appointed as the administratorWe have worked hard to create a safe and nurturing environment on the school campus where children can grow freely without fear allowing them to focus on their education and personal development To a large extent wersquove been successful School timings are now regular and strict security protocols are in place Staff members are assigned specific tasks and are required to complete them staying at their posts until their shift ends or their break begins