DoE issues circular as per child safety norms
Panaji : The Directorate of Education (DoE) has directed all educational institutions to compulsorily obtain police verification for all drivers, helpers and attendants engaged in ferrying schoolchildren including those deployed on Balrath buses and other school transport vehicles.
In a circular issued to the heads of government, government-aided and unaided primary, secondary, higher secondary and special schools, education director Shailesh Sinai Zingde said, “In compliance with child safety norms and in accordance with the guidelines issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) regarding the safety and security of children, it is hereby directed that police verification shall be made mandatory for all drivers and helpers engaged in the transportation of school children, including those deployed on Balrath and other school transport vehicles.”
Accordingly, all educational institutions have been instructed to ensure that police verification shall be compulsorily obtained for all drivers and helpers and attendants employed on school buses, vans, Balrath vehicles, and any other vehicles used for ferrying students.
“No driver or helper shall be allowed to engage in the transportation of school children unless a valid and satisfactory police verification certificate is available,” Zingde said in the circular issued. The circular also said the police verification shall be renewed periodically and shall also be obtained afresh in case of new engagement or replacement of any driver or helper.
The DoE has also asked school managements to maintain a proper record or register of police verification details of all drivers and helpers and shall produce the same for inspection by the competent authority whenever required.
“The responsibility for strict compliance with these instructions shall rest with the head of the Institution and the school management concerned. Strict compliance with this circular is mandatory and any non-compliance will be viewed seriously,” the DoE said.
The move comes on the heels of the police arresting a vehicle driver from Porvorim last week on charges of allegedly sexually abusing a six-year-old girl.
The accused was hired by parents of the minor girl to drop the child to school.
