The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Kochi to be declared first child friendly school city

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Saturday, Nov 08, 2008
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Kochi to be declared first child friendly school city

Staff Reporter

120 schools covered in first phase of the initiative

Programme implemented by paediatricians
59 schools in city fall short of required standards

KOCHI: Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will declare Kochi as the country’s first child friendly school city at a function to be held at Ernakulam Town Hall at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Mr. Kalam will hand over a specially designed plaque embossed with “child friendly school city” declaration and citation to Mayor Mercy Williams, said District Collector M. Beena at a press meet held here on Friday. Education Minister M.A. Baby will preside.

In the first phase, about 120 primary schools within the city limits are covered under the Child Friendly School Initiative (CFSI) programme. Conceived by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), the programme is being implemented in association with the Kochi Corporation under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

IAP has set 10 conditions, on fulfilling of which, schools would be recognised under the CFSI programme. No physical punishment, no excess baggage, safe and proper transportation, clean kitchen and dining space, at least four game periods in a week, safe drinking water, well-ventilated and illuminated class rooms, periodic health check-ups and health awareness programmes, provision for first aid and adequate number of toilets proportionate to the number of students are the 10 cardinal conditions being put in place.

Under the CFSI programme that was launched in August this year, conditions in the schools were evaluated based on the inputs supplied by the school authorities themselves. This was crosschecked with the help of an external agency to identify the schools that required intervention to meet the conditions.

In the assessment, 59 schools fell short of fulfilling the set conditions. These schools were found wanting in complying with either one or all of the following five conditions — safe drinking water, periodic health check-ups, clean and adequate number of toilets, physical exercise, the lack of which is leading to increased levels of obesity among children, and safe transportation.

While 39 schools were without safe drinking water, 34 schools failed to conduct periodic health check-ups and 30 schools were either without adequate toilets.

To tide over this, Rotary International has donated two water purifiers each in the affected schools, and Hindustan Prefab has come forward to maintain and renovate toilets.

A group of doctors from the IAP, along with five doctors from the corporation limits, has agreed to undertake periodic medical check-ups in schools.

The gaming company D3V Games has taken the initiative to organise games.

Meanwhile, the traffic police have promised full support in ensuring safe transportation of students.

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