Child Rights body calls for formation of internal committees

SHILLONG: Chairperson of State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), Meena Kharkongor has called for constitution of internal committees in schools to check cases of harassment of children.
The statement comes in the wake of the JNV Nongstoin incident where a school teacher allegedly sexually harassed over 10 female students following which he was terminated from service.
Kharkongor said that the matter was discussed with the State Government last year and the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner had even sent an advisory to all schools through the Education department to constitute such committees.
According to Kharkongor, she will soon have a meeting with the Education department to stress on the need to set up such internal committees in each and every school at the earliest.
With regards to the recent sexual harassment of the students by a teacher in JNV Nongstoin, she said that the matter was discussed with the West Khasi Hills SP and police are conducting an inquiry into the incident.
“I have asked the SP to take suo moto cognizance if there is anything wrong,” she added.
It may be mentioned that a PGT Physics teacher of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya school in Nongstoin, Vishwajit Jha allegedly sexually harassed few female students of the school for months.
The incidents of harassment came to light only in March after the victims complained to the district magistrate.