Following a barrage of queries from parents over media reports pertaining to tentative dates for reopening schools across the country, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Thursday, 11 June, asked all states to involve parents in the decision making process, as had been mentioned in guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The letter issued by NCPCR to the chief secretaries and the school education department of all states and Union Territories says that in order “to address the concerns of the parents/guardians, to involve them in the decision making process that is crucial for the safety of their children and following the MHA Order dated 30 May 2020, you are requested to hold such consultations with parents/parents’ representatives through the convenient mode as deemed suitable.”
The letter also asks NGOs and private bodies to not issue standard operating procedures SOPs for reopening schools, as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is already working on the matter and since efforts by others in this direction could lead to ‘duplication of efforts’.
“In fact, once MoHFW comes out with the SoP, all efforts including that by the other agencies/NGOs/private institutions should be directed towards successful implementation of the same,” the statement says.
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