Avoid Picnics on Weekends and Holidays; Ensure Safety at All Times: Edu Dpt Issues Fresh Guidelines to Schools
Event Managers, Health Checks, and Weather Alerts Among Several New Safety Directives by Government
Srinagar, June 13 (JKNS): The Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department has issued instructions to schools, advising them to refrain from planning picnics or excursions on weekends or public holidays. This move aims to prevent overcrowding and reduce safety risks at popular tourist destinations.
A circular issued by the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department, accessed by news agency JKNS, states that picnics and excursions, being an important part of the student curriculum, should be organised in adherence to the necessary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and official advisories.
To ensure the safety and well-being of students during such outings, the following guidelines have been emphasised for all Heads of Departments (HoDs) and Heads of Institutions (HoIs) within the School Education Department. It is advised that picnics, excursions, and visits should not be scheduled on Saturdays, Sundays, or public holidays, considering the overcrowding at tourist and picnic spots, in order to prevent any unfortunate incidents.
Event Management: the concerned HOLs shall designate a senior official as event manager to oversee the departure, travel, and movement of students at picnic spots/tourist destinations & their safe arrival. He shall also be responsible for keeping in liaison with the other departments as and when required, it reads.
Circular reads: the concerned Directorate of Tourism shall be contacted two (02) weeks prior to picnics and excursions so that necessary assistance shall be provided. School Trip Safety Checklist: before embarking on the trip, Hols/School Management should have a comprehensive school trip safety checklist, such as emergency contact information. Teachers shall ensure that they have emergency contact information for every student. This should be easily accessible throughout the trip.
First Aid Kit, the school management shall arrange First Aid Kits during the travel and at the picnic spots. In the event of any health issues, the local/nearest health centre should be contacted, it reads.
Health check-up: prior to the departure from the school, the health of the students should be monitored to avoid any health-related issues during the visits. Headcount of the students should be done before departure and while transitioning from one location to another, it reads.
Pre-Trip Briefing: before the trip, the itinerary, behavioural expectations, and safety precautions should be explained to the students. Duty: teachers must keep the picnic on track from boarding to returning back. The Hols/School Management should restrict the students from visiting any vulnerable areas/spots, especially rivers, lakes, ponds and streams, to avert any mishaps at the picnic spots. Escort teachers should ensure that students move to only safer spaces and avoid unsafe activities, circular reads.
Transport management: for vehicle booking, the concerned ARTO should be contacted to provide the authorised transport facilities with good-conditioned vehicles and an escort driver having a valid driving licence for the conveyance of the students, it reads.
Grant of permission for picnics and excursions within the district: the concerned Chief Education Officer shall be the Competent Authority for granting permissions, who shall also maintain the schedules of the picnics/excursions fortnightly with an intimation to the respective directorate, it reads.
For visiting the picnic spots outside the district, the concerned director of school education shall be the competent authority for granting permissions. The Directorate(s) of School Education shall also maintain the schedules of the picnics/excursions fortnightly, it reads.
Weather advisories: prior to the picnics/excursions, the weather advisories issued by the Meteorology Department must be followed. The Hols/School Management should avoid picnics/excursions on harsh weather days, circular reads.
Emergency Contact: the school management should keep contact details of parents for quicker communication in case of an emergency, the circular reads.
Earlier on May 28, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced that the education minister has been directed to encourage schools and colleges to organise excursions and picnics at major destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam, both to signal calm and to re-establish public trust.
Earlier On April 15, the Jammu and Kashmir government imposed a complete ban on picnics by schools and colleges on weekends and holidays in the Union Territory after two students were killed and 21 injured after their college bus turned turtle in Kupwara.
Education Minister Sakeena Itoo also ordered the installation of CCTV cameras and fire safety tools in college and school buses, besides other measures, to enhance student safety. (JKNS)
