Nagaland school edu dept asks schools to take precautionary measures against child kidnapping

HT Correspondent

DIMAPUR, Oct 6: In view of reports of child lifting or kidnapping across Nagaland, the state school education department has asked all schools, both government and private, in the state to take precautionary measures

In a notification, principal director of school education department Thavaseelan K Directorate issued directives to the schools for strict adherence.

The department directed the schools to entrust one teacher each to take charge of one section or class to control access of unknown persons to students and check the authenticity of every person who meets the students in school.

It said attendance taken in the first period should be verified by all subject teachers during the subsequent periods.

In case any student is found bunking classes, the school authorities or teachers should contact parents and confirm whether the students are absent or missing. Regular awareness should be given to students, teachers and parents in coordination with the police department, it said.

The department also directed the schools to create awareness among students on how to prevent kidnappings through movie clips, plays, painting or other competitions or awareness campaigns. There can be mock drills to teach SOP in case a child kidnapping case is reported with different scenarios like kidnapping at railway station or bus or school, it added.

The department said the students should be taught to rush and take help from the nearby authorities like drivers in buses, principals or teachers in schools, parents, nearby churches on roads, TTE in trains, etc. while recommending techniques like shouting loudly for help if any suspicious persons approach the child in public. Children may be taught of indirect signals which a child can use to communicate to nearby people to save one from dangerous persons.

The students should be taught to remember at least two emergency phone numbers and two addresses (parents or favourite teacher) to use in case of emergency, it said.

It said assistance from the respective District Legal Services Authority may be taken to create awareness among students, parents, teachers and public.

The department also directed the schools to immediately inform the police if any case is reported. Child Helpline 1098 should be used immediately when any case of child kidnapping is reported, it added.