Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Chief Minister of Delhi, has ordered the suspension of teachers and the vice principal from a Delhi Government school where cases of sexual harassment have been reported. The incident occurred in April of this year, where two boys were allegedly sexually assaulted by their fellow classmates.
Delhi’s Education Minister, Atishi, conveyed that Kejriwal has instructed for disciplinary actions to be taken against those responsible for not reporting the matter to the police. Atishi emphasized the responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of all children in schools. She stressed that any instances of child sexual abuse must be met with appropriate legal action and preventive measures to avoid recurrence.
Atishi also shared that Kejriwal has directed the Directorate of Education to provide comprehensive training to school principals and teachers regarding the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The chief minister’s directives include mandatory reporting of such incidents, tools for early detection of abuse, understanding various forms of abuse, recognizing its impact on children, and implementing remedial measures to enhance the ability of teachers in supporting affected students.
To address cases of abuse in a supportive environment for children, the Directorate of Education has been instructed to develop high-quality reference materials and guidelines for schools. The Delhi Government has initiated an inquiry committee to investigate the alleged sexual assault of the two minor boys in the government school. The government is determined to ensure swift and strict actions, setting high educational and character development standards while sending a clear message that such reprehensible acts will not be tolerated.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued notices to the Delhi Police and Directorate of Education concerning the alleged sexual assault case. The DCW Chief, Swati Maliwal, stated that two minor boys reported incidents of sexual assault by fellow students during a summer camp. One boy described being assaulted repeatedly in a nearby park, while another stated he was assaulted in a school toilet. The DCW has called for a detailed action report from the authorities by September 1, 2023, in response to these matters.
