Chairperson, Jammu & Kashmir State Commission for Protection of Women and Child Rights (JKSCWCR} Vasundhara Pathak Masoodi today issued an advisory for the School Education Department for ensuring the safety, security, health and hygiene of students in school premises and during to and fro travel.
The Commission in its advisory has given thrust on capping on weight of school bags, health, hygiene, transportation, safety and security of students.
The Commission, prescribing a limit of weight of school bags of students, has fixed different limits for different classes which includes 1/1.5 kgs for class 1st and 2nd, 2/3 kgs from class 3rd to 5th, 4 kgs for class 6th and 7th, 4.5 kgs for class 8th and 9th and 5 kgs for class 10th. The students should not be asked to carry extra material or additional books to school for whatsoever purpose, the advisory recommends and cautioned that the recognition of such private schools be revoked that are found in violation of prescribed norms/ limits of school bag weight.
The Advisory recommended that every educational institution should have health clinic with provision of medicos, para-medicos, first-aid, medicines, basic medical equipments, sanitary napkins, purified drinking water, fire extinguishers, parking space, CCTV, safe heating arrangements and other facilities.
“No unauthorized person should be allowed to enter in the school premises (including the ground) and any movement of an unauthorized or a suspicious person should be reported without fail. The social interaction of children with driver or other staff of school vehicle should be restricted to bare minimum and drivers or other staff associated with school vehicle should not be allowed to enter the main building of the school,” the advisory recommended.
Issuing advisory on boarding/de-boarding and transportation of children from school vehicles, the Commission strongly recommended for installation of GPS and CCTV, mandatory police verification of drivers and assisting staff in such vehicles.
