CBSE mandates awareness sessions and stray dog control to ensure student safety

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued comprehensive safety guidelines to schools across the country aimed at preventing dog-bite incidents and safeguarding the well-being of students and staff. The advisory comes in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling that underscored the paramount importance of ensuring the safety and security of children in educational institutions. 

As per the notification, CBSE has directed schools to adopt proactive measures, including conducting regular awareness sessions for students, teachers, and non-teaching staff. These sessions will focus on safe and preventive behaviour around animals, basic first-aid measures in case of dog bites, and the importance of immediately reporting such incidents to authorities.

Schools have also been instructed to identify vulnerable areas within and around their campuses and take prompt action to remove stray dogs from school premises in coordination with local civic bodies and animal welfare authorities. Emphasis has been laid on strengthening physical infrastructure, such as ensuring proper fencing, boundary walls, and secured entry and exit gates to prevent the entry of stray animals. 

Among the key directives, schools must designate a Nodal Officer responsible for cleanliness, hygiene, and overall upkeep of the premises, with the officer’s details clearly displayed at the school entrance. Regular inspections, at least once every quarter, are mandatory to ensure that no stray dog habitats exist in or near school campuses. Effective waste management and proper drainage systems have also been highlighted as critical preventive measures.

Additionally, schools are required to adhere to existing School Safety and Security guidelines and undertake activities recommended by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as part of the national rabies elimination programme. The guidelines align with the Standard Operating Procedure issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying for managing stray dogs in institutional premises, reinforcing a holistic approach to child safety.