Ahmedabad’s District Education Officer has launched the ‘Vidyarthi Hit Sarthi, Suraksha Sankalp Abhiyan’ across the city’s schools, combining safety awareness sessions with complaint boxes and a dedicated helpline for students.
Under the initiative, a ‘Samvedna Peti’ will be placed in schools so students can submit safety-related problems and complaints. The District Education Officer’s office said the submissions would help authorities understand student concerns and take appropriate action.
The campaign will cover road safety, food safety, cyber safety, physical and mental safety, and health safety. Experts from different fields will visit schools to conduct lectures and guidance sessions for students. Awareness activities will also address the risks of drug use and the need to stay away from narcotics.
Ahmedabad DEO Rohit Chaudhary said the programme was being introduced with the objective of creating “safe schools and a safe childhood”. He said the campaign would provide guidance on issues ranging from safe food choices and road safety to online fraud and other risks faced by children.
The education department said the Sarthi Project had already provided guidance to students in around 300 schools. The sessions included information on choosing suitable food and avoiding unsuitable items, along with road-safety guidance.
The new campaign is also expected to include guidance on risks such as dog bites and cyber fraud. The DEO’s office said children could become victims of fraud after clicking unknown links while using games or the internet during holidays, making school-level awareness important.
Training for principals and teachers will be conducted in phases. Experts will visit different schools, and the safety-related subjects are expected to be included in school calendars from the next academic session. The programme will also be linked with the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ through future activities on substance-abuse prevention.
The Ahmedabad DEO office has released the helpline number 909922648 for assistance and guidance related to student safety. The initiative’s next phase will involve school visits, teacher and principal training, and the inclusion of the safety programme in school calendars for the coming academic session.
