Comprehensive child policy needed, not patchwork of circulars

THE School Education Department on Saturday issued a circular directing schools to arrange student seating in semi-circles, a knee-jerk move made without assessing practicality or implications.

- SUBASHINI VIJAYAKUMAR @Chennai

THE School Education Department on Saturday issued a circular directing schools to arrange student seating in semi-circles, a knee-jerk move made without assessing practicality or implications. The order received widespread criticism from several quarters, including the AIADMK. But this isn't an isolated incident. The department has a pattern of issuing orders and circulars that often contradict, overlap or prove unworkable, especially on student safety.

Issued to prevent incidents from caste-based violence to sexual abuse, these orders have been largely reactive, fragmented and incident-driven, as the state still lacks a comprehensive child protection policy for schools. Without a unified framework, headmasters, teachers and officials remain unclear on existing policies and implementation.