The Odisha School and Mass Education Department has issued a detailed directive to all District Education Officers (DEOs) and District Project Coordinators (DPCs) to proactively enhance safety and inclusivity in educational institutions.
The directive calls for immediate action to ensure the safety of women employees at workplaces and to foster a secure environment for students across all schools.
The department has emphasised the mandatory implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, urging all eligible institutions to constitute or reconstitute Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs).
To promote gender sensitivity among students, the directive also encourages the integration of the BARNALI Gender Equity Programme into school curricula and activities.
In a bid to ensure accessibility to support systems, the department has instructed all schools to prominently display helpline numbers, including:
- Women Helpline: 181
- Child Helpline: 1098
- Police Emergency Response: 112
- School Student Helpline: 1800-345-6722
The memo, signed by Shalini Pandit, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Government, has been circulated to all DEOs with copies forwarded to relevant authorities for compliance and monitoring.
This initiative marks a significant step in reinforcing institutional accountability and safeguarding the rights and well-being of women and students in Odisha’s educational ecosystem.
