Maharashtra: After-school horror shakes Mumbai schools

Following the harrowing tale of abuse faced by a male student in one of Mumbairsquos most soughtafter schools educational institutions across the city are reevaluating their child safety frameworksLast week a 40yearold teacher in Mumbai was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16yearold student The woman teacher was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences POCSO Act the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS and the Juvenile Justice ActWith growing concerns over student safety and mental wellbeing several schools across the city spoke to midday about their existing safeguards and response mechanismsShocked by the news Dr Sonal Parmar principal of Cathedral and John Connon School said ldquoThe incident is inexcusable and represents an extreme breach of trust and responsibility by the teacher In todayrsquos world of exposure and access growing up can be confusing for students Itrsquos our duty to help them navigate these years with confidence capability and awarenessrdquoThe school conducts regular sex education workshops for students and parents tailored to different age groups Talking about the schoolrsquos safety and mental health systems Dr Parmar added ldquoWe recently conducted a campuswide audit to eliminate blind spots in CCTV coverage Our teachers and staff are routinely sensitised about their responsibilities under POCSO regulationsrdquoShe also highlighted mandatory mental health sessions for senior students ldquoFor students in Std XI and XII we have compulsory oneonone sessions with school counsellors This not only reduces stigma but also provides a safe supportive spacerdquo While POCSO committees are now standard across most city schools some institutions have introduced additional safety measuresThe principal of a Mira Road school shared ldquoAny outsider entering the campus must wear a fluorescent lanyard so students can identify them from afar We also have a locked suggestion box where students can anonymously share concerns Only the viceprincipal and I access it every FridayrdquoAt St Pius School in Mulund principal Norbert DrsquoSouza explained that their institution like others under the Archdiocesan Board of Education has staff sign a code of conduct reiterating POCSO rules ethics and responsibilities before joining ldquoWe also collaborate with NGOs to conduct periodic sexed workshopsrdquo he saidMumbai Public Schools MPS run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC have also implemented POCSO committees and conduct regular awareness sessions While full CCTV surveillance is still lacking on many MPS campuses the schools are taking steps to educate students on personal safetyldquoWe invite both parents and students to attend workshops that use smartboards to explain key concepts like lsquogood touch vs bad touchrsquo and cyberbullying Students are encouraged to speak up about any threat they facerdquo said the head of a BMCrun school in the western suburbsDespite modern classrooms and progressive policies ensuring comprehensive child safety remains a challenge for Mumbai schools While many institutions conduct sex education sessions experts believe these need to be more deeply embedded into the curriculumldquoOnceayear workshops on sex education donrsquot go far enoughrdquo said psychiatrist Dr Dayal Mirchandani ldquoThese subjects should be integrated into the regular syllabus so students can understand them better and discuss them openlyrdquoTaskeen Bhore principal Diamond Jubilee High School Mazgaon said ldquoThe Diamond Jubilee High School ICSE has a child safeguarding officer on the premises at all times In case there are any accidents big or small we create incidental reports and take them to our management The school also has CCTVs in every classroom weekly surveys to keep things in check and life skill and sex education workshops for students from Std I to Std X We tie up with organisations that talk to students about the dangers of abuse encouraging them to talk to trusted adultsrdquo