Protection Of Children Against Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act 2012
We as a school aim to provide a high standard of child centered education in a safe supportive learning environment, where values and ethos are promoted. ”
All children have an equal right to access education in an environment that is safe, protective and conducive to the overall development. The challenges of gender inequality, eve teasing and sexual abuse in school environment call for increased awareness and creating synergy among parents, teachers and schools. In order to ensure strict compliance of the Protection of child from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act 2012, CBSE has taken several initiatives and actions for creating awareness about sexual exploitation among the school children.
Keeping that in mind we have formulated a POCSO committee who will be looking after the safety and security of children.
The following are members of the School POCSO Committee:
| S.No. | Name | Designation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mrs. Shubha Rnajan Chatterjee | Principal |
| 2 | Mrs. Sarika Sharma | Vice Principal |
| 3 | Mr. Pradeep Naik | Sr. PGT |
| 4 | Mr.Suneel Kumar Patel | TGT |
| 5 | Ms. Vandana Pathak | Special Teacher |
Members of staff must:
- Refer concerns to the Designated/ Teacher for Child Protection/Principal
- Listen to what is being said without displaying shock or disbelief and support the child
- Act promptly
- Make a concise written record of a child’s disclosure using the actual words of the child
- Avail of whole school training and relevant other training regarding safeguarding children
- Not give children a guarantee of total confidentiality regarding their disclosures
- Not investigate
- Not ask leading questions
In addition, the Class Teacher should:
Keep the designated teacher informed about poor attendance and punctuality, poor presentation, changed or unusual behavior including self-harm and suicidal thoughts, deterioration in educational progress, discussions with parents about concerns relating to their child, concerns about pupil abuse or serious bullying, concerns about home conditions including disclosures of domestic violence.
All staff who works in educational settings has a responsibility to safeguard the welfare of children and young people. Staff in school sees children over long periods and can notice physical, behavioral and emotional indicators and hear allegations of abuse. They should remember the 5 R’s: Receive, Reassure, Respond, Record and Refer
Therefore, a copy of POCSO guidelines by CBSE is kept in Teacher Resource Center (TRC). We request you all to go through the same and understand your roles and responsibilities as an educationist.