Over a week after a Class II student was murdered on the premises of Ryan International School’s Bhondsi branch, all private schools in Gurgaon have been given “15 to 20 days” to meet the conditions relating to safety and security of children laid out by the CBSE and the Haryana School Education Act. They will have to submit self-certified documents confirming the same to the Deputy Commissioner’s office as well as the District Education Officer (DEO), after which a safety audit of their institution will be conducted. The directions were issued by Deputy Commissioner, Vinay Pratap Singh, during a meeting with representatives of private schools Saturday. He also elaborated on the conditions that schools are required to meet as per the Haryana School Education Act.

Emphasis was especially laid on installing good quality CCTV cameras, ensuring police verification of teaching and non-teaching staff, covering water tanks and putting up signage warning of their presence, installing emergency alarms in the school, having a medical check-up room as well as separate bathrooms for drivers and conductors.

Singh also directed the representatives to form a committee in their schools under the Juvenile Justice Act, POCSO Act, and Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act. Singh also asked them to follow the rules of the Surakshit Vahan Policy, create a mechanism through which teaching and non-teaching staff can be acquainted with ways to ensure the safety of children, and ensure that as few outsiders as possible enter the school, and those who do are monitored. The deputy commissioner said Ryan International School, Bhondsi, may once again resume operations from Monday the first time since the murder.