Safety audit is basic, no need to draw up new law: Experts

Mumbai: In the wake of the alleged murder and sexual assault of a seven-year-old student in Ryan International School in Gurugram, Haryana, city-based education experts have said that while conducting safety audits at private and state schools is a must, it should be done informally and there is no need for a separate law for it.

The experts further said that the school authorities, in coordination with the Parents Teacher Associations, should do these audits on their own. They have also suggested third-party audits as well as a better screening process for employees before induction to ensure a safer environment in schools.

Parents of children studying in the Gurugram school are pressurizing the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) as Ryan International School is affiliated with the board. In response, the board is slated to form a committee to investigate the matter. However, nothing disciplinary has occurred as of now.

“The CBSE has come up with a comprehensive document for the safety audits in the schools and I feel that it is a progressive step. But the real effectiveness lies in how well it is executed and followed. Third party audits should take place, both scheduled and unscheduled, to keep everyone on their toes,” said Fatima Agarkar, educationist and founder of K.A. Edu Associates.

Education expert Rajesh Mohanan said, “Something like basic security is of utmost importance everywhere and not just in the education sector. Every human being has the right to feel secure. When they don’t, something feels wrong or incomplete.”

In case of schools, I feel CCTVs, security alarms, a trust-worthy workforce and GPS devices on the school buses can help in ensuring the security of the students.”