To protect children from various forms of abuse, the Delhi government has drawn up elaborate guidelines for educational institutes. The guidelines say teachers must not have any relations with students on social networking sites.
In its guidelines for online safety, the government has decided to implement Internet safety protocols in schools. Apart from barring teachers from having any relationships on social media sites, the guidelines prohibit them from taking photographs of children without their permission.
"No child must be recorded in any manner that makes them uncomfortable and children must always be asked before taking photographs," said a Delhi government official.
"The guidelines cover the recruitment process. No one with a criminal record can be hired at an institute," the official added.
While releasing the report, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said children are precious."If children are not safe we will have a traumatised society in the future. Children have the right to good life," Dikshit said.
"We should focus on prevention and these guidelines would help us in doing that. Everyone must know how to protect the child and we have to handle the issue sensitively," said Kiran Walia, minister of education, social welfare women and child development and languages.
In a separate set of guidelines, which are meant to ensure the safety of children while travelling to and from school, the Delhi government has made mandatory the presence of one female ward or guard who is to be present on the bus until the last child is dropped home.
Arun Mathur, director of the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), which formulated the guidelines, said:"We have included best international practices and referred to existing constitutional and legal framework in combating child abuse."