CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has conducted safety audits and child protection awareness programmes across its schools to create a safer and more inclusive learning environment for students, particularly adolescent girls.
The initiative is being implemented by the Corporation’s Gender and Policy Lab (GPL) in collaboration with the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and the Department of Child Welfare.
As a part of the exercise, safety audits are being carried out in all GCC schools to assess classrooms, toilet facilities, lighting, accessibility and other infrastructure related to student safety. Officials also interacted with girl students to understand the safety concerns and challenges they face both inside and outside the campus.
The feedback collected, along with findings from the safety audits, will be used to prepare evidence-based recommendations to improve school safety and strengthen gender responsive planning, the officials said. The programme also identifies eligible students from single-parent families for enrolment under the Single Child Sponsorship Programme.
Pamphlets on child protection were distributed to students and displayed on school premises.