Schools in Tennessee to soon install complaint boxes

Chennai, December 12, 2012 : .

The Tamil Nadu education division has instructed all schools of the public sector to place complaint boxes on their campusesA statement by the Tamil Nadu education Department stated that 31,214 elementary schools, and 6,177 government high school schools will have complaint boxes installed in their schools.

A complaint box with prominently displayed the number for the state education department (14417) and an awareness flex board regarding student safety will be available.Each school will receive Rs 1000 to establish the awareness flexboard and complaint box.Further, the state education department stated that a sum of Rs.61 lakh will be approved for installation of complaint boxes and flexible boards in government higher secondary schools.An amount of about Rs.3.12 crore for elementary schools would also be approved.According to state education, the project will be funded by the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

The school principals have been instructed to prominently display these complaint boxes in front of the principals office with a label titled Manavar Manasu.Every 15 days members of the Students Safeguarding Advisory Committee (SSAC) will check these boxes and will take immediate action if there are genuine complaints.

The education department has been in the process of creating awareness among the student community and has asked students to raise complaints if they are harassed in schools.The SSACs will create awareness and training on various aspects of child safety and both teaching and non-teaching staff will be given awareness on child mental health and harassment.

aal/dpb