National Disaster Management Authority formulates draft national school safety policy guidelines

NEW DELHI: The draft national school safety policy guidelines have been formulated by the National Disaster Management Authority, Parliament was informed today.

"National Disaster Management Authority has formulated a draft national school safety policy guidelines which focus upon the need to strengthen disaster risk resilience measures in schools across the country," HRD Minister Smriti Irani said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

She said the government has also issued guidelines to all States to incorporate design and parameters in construction of schools which are resistant to earthquake and provide protection against fire, flood and other natural calamities.

The policy is understood to have suggested that District Education Officer must ensure that 'Recognition Certificate' under subrule (4) 15 of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2010 is issued only to those schools that comply with safety norms laid out in the Building Codes.

This compliance needs to be monitored on a regular basis. All existing as well as new schools need to conform to safety standards as per the National Building Code, 2005.

It is also understood to have proposed that each classroom should have two doors instead of one for faster evacuation.