Strict bag checking, revised policy on bullying, counselling sessions: How Ahmedabad schools are reacting to stabbing death of student

While schools across boards and managements have admitted that they have made counselling sessions, which were usually sidelined, as an integral part of their practice, some are even roping in psychologists for proactive sessions for parents.

“We have framed new proactive norms for bullying that cover where harassment is being added to the bullying policy. Right from checking incidents of bullying and identifying the cause, sessions on bullying and its consequences will soon be organised. Recently, incidents of bullying have increased, which may start from Class 5,” Manan Choksi, executive director for a chain of schools under Udgam School for Children, told The Indian Express.

Although schools already had restrictions on items that students could carry to school, these restrictions have become stricter, with random, unannounced, and more frequent bag-checking sessions. “A policy of more frequent bag checking without informing students has been adopted now,” said Nashy Chauhan, director general of Swarrnim International School.

Some schools already had sharpeners and steel water bottles on their banned list. However, schools that allowed scissors for craft work in junior classes have now entirely prohibited their use.

“This incident is a wake-up call for everyone. Though we learnt the hard way, every school is in an alert zone now. For instance, all teachers in our school have been asked to be alert to anything suspicious among students; if they find the slightest of it, they should call the students and talk to them,” said Mrugen Shah, principal of Prakash Higher Secondary School, with an enrollment of 1,800.

While schools have also formed disciplinary committees with students and parents as members, at the direction of the District Education Officer, some student members of these committees have been asked to be vigilant and report anything suspicious in classrooms, playgrounds, or restrooms.

Prakash Higher Secondary School has also assigned teachers the responsibility of regularly monitoring CCTV footage. Although CCTV covers every corner of the school, we were not monitoring it regularly earlier, which is now to be done, Shah said.

“After the incident, I myself conducted a training session for students for anger and aggression management, dealing with emergency situations, a motivation cum life skill session for every child,” he added.

However, counsellors believe that discussing mental health should be encouraged instead of imposing restrictions on students.

“Schools becoming vigilant about discipline and imposing stricter regulations, like restricting them to classrooms, is not a good idea,” said Dr Nivedita Ganguli, former principal of DAV International School, mental health expert, and a core committee member of the CBSE’s Parenting Calendar and SEL Module.

“However, schools that were not using peer support programmes and counselling sessions are now taking them seriously. Schools have approached us for proactive sessions for parents and mental health sessions for students. Mental health, which was sidelined earlier, is being recognised in today’s fast-changing times. Counsellors need to be alert too and work in collaboration with teachers and parents. What is happening is that teachers and parents are working in silos.”

Some of these decisions are also outcomes of the deliberations held during the day-long ‘chintan baithak’ session of school principals and management of around 1800 private schools in Ahmedabad recently organised by the Ahmedabad (city) DEO Rohit Chaudhary.