Agartala: The Tripura Government has assured the High Court that it is taking steps to address safety concerns in schools by installing CCTV cameras at strategic locations.
This assurance was made during a hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to ensure safety and security measures in schools across the state.
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The PIL, filed by Advocate Kundan Pandey, highlighted the need for improved safety measures in schools. According to the court order, out of 4,905 schools in eight districts of Tripura, only 218 schools have CCTV cameras installed.
The government has submitted that it is in the process of installing CCTV cameras in schools in a phased manner. However, privately managed schools will need to follow guidelines issued by the state as per the National Education Policy, 2020.
“Further averments as to the information sought by the petitioner-in-person under RTI have been delineated 0 of the additional counter-affidavit. The statement has also been made that under the new Education Policy, 2020, guidelines on school safety and security have been shared by the District Education Officers concerned with all the stakeholders’ school management in the matter of safety and security of the children studying in the school”, the high court order reads.
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It the order it was mentioned that during the hearing Learned Government Advocate S.M. Chakraborti and Kohinoor N Bhattacharya also conveyed that there are various categories of children identified from the weaker sections under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 in respect of whom notification dated July 15 of 2022 has been issued by the State to provide them with the legal entitlements.
“Learned Government Advocate submits that the government is in the process of ensuring that safety concerns of the children by installation of CCTV’s at vantage positions in the school are taken up and installed in a phased manner. However, he submits that so far as the privately managed schools are concerned, the State has issued guidelines as per the National Education Policy, 2020. He submits that the deliberation would be held with the State Officials on the issue of installation of CCTV cameras by the privately managed schools”, the order reads.
Learned Advocate General has also appeared and submitted that the matter would be taken up with the competent authority under the State.
However, the next hearing would be held on February 6, 2025.