SHILLONG, April 25: Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) Chairperson Agatha K Sangma has called for the immediate and serious implementation of child safety guidelines in schools, urging educators, institutions and the larger community to come together to ensure a secure environment for children.
Speaking to a gathering of school heads, counsellors, teachers, students and members of Faith Foundation, Sangma outlined the key provisions of the guidelines issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in 2021. These guidelines, she said, focus on infrastructure safety, health and hygiene, socio-psychological well-being, and digital protection. Despite their significance, many schools, she noted, remain unaware of their existence.
“These guidelines are not just recommendations,” Sangma said. “The Supreme Court has directed that they be implemented across all schools in the country. This is no longer optional.”
On infrastructure safety, she highlighted requirements for structurally sound buildings, fire safety equipment, clean toilets, potable water and hygienic kitchen spaces. She linked poor menstrual hygiene management to high dropout rates among girls, and urged schools to ensure separate, well-maintained toilet facilities for them.
In terms of health, she spoke of the need for regular medical check-ups, immunisation drives and the recent success of the deworming day observed in February, where tablets were distributed in several schools.
She then turned to the psychological safety of children, identifying this as the central concern of the session. Bullying, corporal punishment and child sexual abuse, she said, must be addressed with clear mechanisms for reporting and support. The guidelines call for the formation of anti-bullying committees, gender sensitisation cells and access to psychological counselling within every school.
Sangma also addressed the growing digital risks faced by children, a component added to the guidelines in 2024. She emphasised the need to educate children about cyberbullying, identity theft and inappropriate online content, and urged schools to monitor digital activity and promote safe internet use.
She pointed out that the manual contains a chapter specifically outlining the responsibilities of teachers and counsellors in ensuring safety. Teachers, she said, are expected to remain vigilant, foster nurturing and discrimination-free environments, and participate in emergency preparedness drills, such as those for fire or earthquakes, which are rarely conducted.
Another gap she flagged was the lack of Parent-Teacher Associations in many schools. “PTAs are essential. Without them, we cannot monitor the emotional and academic well-being of our children,” she said. “Parental involvement is not an accessory—it is a necessity.”
Reflecting on her own journey since taking office, Sangma said the issue of child protection had proven both moving and distressing. “Almost 90 percent of child sexual abuse cases involve someone the child knows. A family member, a neighbour, someone in the school. And yet, we often pretend it doesn’t exist.”
She urged a cultural shift in how society approaches the issue. “We must talk about it. We must name it. Only then can we address it.”
She expressed appreciation for the work done by Faith Foundation, which has been working on the ground in Meghalaya for over a decade, and called for greater partnerships between civil society, government institutions and schools. She reminded participants that the guidelines are aligned with the Right to Education Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Juvenile Justice Act.
Sangma closed with a reference to the late educationist Ken Robinson. “He said the key to transforming education is not standardisation, but personalisation, to create environments where children want to learn. And that is impossible without safety. If a child is not safe, they will not thrive.”