POCSO orientation held for private school heads in Krishnagiri

Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Saturday (September 6, 2025) said that we should create schools without a single case of child abuse and create teachers and schools with zero tolerance to abuse of children.

The Minster was speaking at the awareness meeting on POCSO (Protection of children from Sexual Offences) Act, organised for the heads of private schools under the Department of School Education and private schools association in Krishnagiri.

On the key indicators of possible trauma for a child, the Minister said the shrinking away of an otherwise jovial or an extraverted child must not be ignored. In the event of sexual abuse coming to the knowledge of the school, parents and the district child protection unit (DCPU) must be immediately informed. Every text book must have the child helpline toll free numbers – 14417 and 1098 be printed prominently and enough awareness be created among children emphasising that they are not alone in this. Each campus must have a complaints box and students must be encouraged to write their grievances.

The Minister added that a cumulative allocation of ₹4.94 lakh by the Chief Minister has so far led to the training of over 90,000 people.

The orientation on POCSO Act was being organised under the State government’s special allocation for POCSO Act. Through the training of the adults under whose care they are in schools, a total of 1.29 lakh students will be benefited.