Steps to strengthen Secondary & Higher Secondary Education

Steps to strengthen Secondary & Higher Secondary Education

Child Policy 2014

A commitment to child development in Maharashtra through a holistic, integrated and planned approach.

India had a number of legislations related to children. However, in order to align them to the standards set by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child, the National Child Policy on Children was enacted in 1974. Keeping in view the National Policy, Maharashtra State brought out a Child Development Policy for the fulfilment of children’s rights, in 2002. The objective of this Policy was to implement the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, leading to the systematic, holistic and planned development of the children in the state. The 2002 Policy had taken into consideration the changing economic, social and cultural needs of children due to globalization. It was proposed in the policy that the measures suggested would need to be reviewed in response to the constantly changing environment. In a period of ten years, since then, a number of changes have occurred. Hence the Policy is needed to be revised.

The Constitution of India includes a number of articles related to children. Article 39 (f) mentions that “The State will ensure that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment.” Also, the Children’s Charter issued in 2003 recognises the right of every child to survival, life and liberty and the need for the state to protect these rights, thus reiterating the State’s responsibility towards its children. Apart from this, a number of measures have been taken by the Government of India after enacting laws including the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act (2000) along with Amendment (2006) and Rules 2002 (revised in 2011), Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 and Rules, Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (1956) amended in 1986, the Hindu Adoption Act and Rules (1956), Guardians & Wards Act (1890) and Rules, CARA Guidelines on Adoption (2011), Child Marriage Prevention Act (2006) and Rules and Prevention of Sexual Offences Against Children Act (2012). The Department of Women and Child Development (D.W.C.D.), Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (M.S.C.P.C.R.), Integrated Child Development Services (I.C.D.S.) The scheme, and Integrated Child Protection Scheme (I.C.P.S.) and other initiatives of the State towards the protection of children’s rights.

To provide more schools in the villages, increasing access to secondary and higher secondary education and give recognition to existing schools.

To ensure that children get access to higher secondary education, especially in villages where there is no schooling facility available for the same by ensuring the availability of bus transport, the proper road to school, etc.

Steps to strengthen Secondary & Higher Secondary Education
Steps related to recreation

1. Ensure active participation of children in games, sports, dance, music, acting activities, etc. and to provide facilities for the same.
2. To ensure that Children’s books shall be available at affordable prices.
3. To ensure means to provide recreational facilities and services for children of all ages and social groups.
4. To frame stringent policy on the reservation, of plots for playgrounds and other recreational facilities for children.

Child Protection (CP)

1. The State shall reduce the vulnerability of children in all situations and protect them from all forms of violence and abuse, neglect, stigma, discrimination,
2. deprivation, exploitation including economic and sexual exploitation, abandonment, separation, abduction, sale or trafficking for any purpose or in any form, pornography, substance abuse, or any other activity that takes undue advantage of them, or harms their personhood and affects their development. The State shall enforce new laws and strengthen the implementation of existing laws to improve the situation of these children.
3. The State shall comprehensively ensure child protection by giving priority to developing systems, protocols and processes to ensure the psychological, physical, social, economic development of children.
4. The State shall ensure easy and immediate access to help and safety for children who are in difficult circumstances; providing immediate and required assistance including medical, nutritional, shelter, psychological, legal, etc. necessary for the child in the circumstance; restoration of the child’s rights and finally penalising the perpetrator/stakeholders who have not performed their duties.
5. Those officers and employees who are failed in their duties towards the children shall be punished. All stakeholders shall be counselled for realizing children’s rights.
6. The state shall provide rehabilitation covering access to all services necessary to overcome the child’s marginalisation/victimisation and ensure that the child has access to all her/his rights. It also includes socio-economic re-integration of the child and building awareness among all children regarding their rights.

General measures

1. To strengthen CP Programmes with the added support of the recently launched Integrated Child Protection Scheme (I.C.P.S.) with the aim to provide care, protection and a safe and secure environment for children in conflict with law as well as children in need of care and protection.
2. To strengthen the Juvenile Justice (J.J.) The system at the village, block, district and state level and Constitute and strengthen Child Protection Committees for effective implementation of the JJ Act.
3. To give adequate attention to the functioning of CWCs, JJBs and SJPUs in all the districts of the state and to ensure their timely appointment.
4. Clause 34 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2006 has provision to close down unlicensed children’s institutions. This clause needs to be amended to include punishment imprisonment and fine both to those running such institutions.
5. To ensure sensitive treatment of all children in conflict/ contact with the law by all the functionaries including those in Government offices, JJBs, CWCs, Police, Child care functionaries, etc. and build capacities of all concerned.
6. To promote foster care, sponsorship, and ensure quality institutional, residential and family-type homes.
7. To intercountry adoption has been considered as an alternative means of child's care, but such option shall be used only if the child cannot be placed in a foster or an adoptive family or cannot in any suitable manner be cared for in the child's country of origin.
8. To provide adequate funds for maintaining quality standards of care provided by all institutions/organizations – whether GO or NGO.
9. To ensure the timely appointment of the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and ensure adequate and timely funding and other administrative support to discharge their duties.
10. To develop an effective mechanism/system of monitoring and evaluation of CP programmes.
11. To formulate a policy to streamline partnerships with civil society organizations.
12. To exempt CNCP, particularly orphans from payment of court fees in cases relating to maintenance, guardianship, probate, violence and property disputes if filed before the court. The children conflict with law shall be exempted from the court fees in term of civil matters.
13. The records should be scanned in Government aided Children’s Home, Orphanages etc to ensure the maintenance of record permanently.
14. To organize Road Safety programmes by women & child Development Department in coordination with the Transport Department, Department of Higher & Technical Education and Education Department for creating awareness amongst the youth and to include Road Safety as a topic in the Syllabus of the subject Civics
15. To provide training and guidelines for the development of skill, traditional artistic knowledge, opportunities for higher education and guidance for preparation for competitive exam to every child.
16. To organize awareness programme children, guardians/parents to educate them regarding cheating done with and misbehaviour inflicted on children and its ill effect and for this to implement continuous awareness programme among schools/ Ashramshalas/ Colleges.
17. To introduce the concept of discipline and responsibility in the school’s syllabus so as to make the children responsible citizen.