Pledge in govt schools: I shall respect women

The government’s directorate of education has included the new pledge in the students’ diary that the children of all government schools need to recite and remember so that a sense of equality and respect is instilled among the children, especially the boys.

The pledge reads: “I (name) solemnly pledge that I shall always extend due regard and respect to women and desist from violent behaviour of any kind against them. I shall respect and protect the dignity of women in school and society at large. I solemnly affirm to oppose any kind of gender bias against women.”

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It also included a statement about coming to the help of women, whenever they witness them in a perilous situation. The pledge adds: “If I notice that any women in distress need urgent help, I shall extend her my best possible assistance.”

The students repeat this pledge almost everyday in schools, in addition to being taught “value education” books, which have been prepared by the department to instil other good habits as well.

The DoE has filed an affidavit in the court in response to a notice on a PIL which sought that states and union territories chart out measures taken by the authorities in preventing sexual abuse of children in school premises.

The DoE has said in its reply that besides setting up of committees at three levels — at school level, at district level and finally at headquarter level — to address issues relating to the harassment of students, several specific instructions have been issued to the headmasters and principals of the schools.

These instructions included making a request to the local police to ensure a PCR van is stationed in the vicinity at the time of opening and closing of the schools, in addition to assigning teachers floor-wise, wing-wise and gate duties in this regard.

The teachers have also been instructed not to leave the class room after the last period is over until all the students have left and a nodal officer has been designated to stay back in the school to attend to possible complaints of any child having not reached home.