‘Sakhi Savitri’ committee to set up in schools across state

Mumbai: Susieben Shah, chairperson of the Maharashtra Commission for Protection of Child Rights, has formally written a letter to Deepak Kesarkar, state’s education minister, expressing serious concerns over the apparent disregard for the commission’s directive of establishing ‘Sakhi Savitri’ committees in schools.

Shah has urgently called for the formation of a committee in every school in the state to ensure students’ safety and security.

The necessity for a ‘Sakhi Savitri’ committee came after an incident in March 2022, where an 11-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in a Pune school. Subsequently, in August 2023, a 23-year-old teacher was arrested in Mumbai for allegedly sexually assaulting four seven-year-old girls within the school premises in the eastern suburbs of the city.

The proposed committee is intended to include representatives from the school management, teachers, parents, doctors, and students. Schools are also expected to establish ties with the local police station. The committee’s responsibilities will encompass monthly scrutiny of CCTV footage, with a mandate to report any objectionable findings to the relevant authorities.

On March 10, 2022, the school education department issued a directive mandating the formation of the ‘Sakhi Savitri’ committee in all schools across Maharashtra. The State Child Rights Commission subsequently sent guidelines for strict implementation to Kesarkar on May 9, 2023.

A joint meeting between the Child Rights Commission and the school education department happened in November 2023, where Shah reiterated the urgency of establishing the committee.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of progress two months after the meeting, Shah also advocated to rename the committee as ‘Jyotiba-Savitri’ instead of ‘Sakhi Savitri’.

In a statement, Shah emphasized the crucial role of the committee, highlighting its responsibilities, which include training school staff on child safety and development, handling student complaints of abuse, creating awareness about child rights and protection, and providing counseling support for students’ mental well-being. The proposal also includes the appointment of a counselor in every school.