UPDATED: 2:30pm – The Education Ministry has started an investigation in relation to an incident where a Year 1 student was reported missing from the Arya Samaj Primary School in Samabula yesterday.
The mother, Nileshni Devi had told us that she went to pick her daughter, Tracy Lal at 2.45pm however she was told by her daughter’s classmate that Tracy had walked down to the gate of the school. Lal was later spotted near her home in Nadawa and was reunited with her parents.
This matter will not rest here as Permanent Secretary for Education Iowane Tiko says they will take action on those who were responsible in releasing the child on her own.
The Education Ministry had sent a clear message to all school heads in March this year on how to deal with students attending Early Childhood Centres and lower primary schools following reports of kindergarten students going with people other than their parents or designated guardians.
The Education Ministry had told the school heads that the students are under their care as soon as they enter the school gates, thus, their safety and security is the priority of the school.
The Ministry had said that it is the responsibility of theteachers and School Heads to ensure that all children are safe at all times and proper care is taken while releasing them from the school premises.
For all Early Childhood Education Centres and lower primary schools, the parents must specify clearly,
in writing, on who will be the designated person to drop and pick up the child from school, they must provide the photos of these people, the teachers must ensure that the child is only released to the parents or the legal guardian or guardian as authorized by the parent in writing during enrolment,
the School Heads and teachers must provide the parents with clear guidelines on a time frame for the drop and pick up of children, a teacher should be present to receive and release the child, for drop off and pick up, a register can be maintained whereby parents can sign off while dropping and picking up the child and no child should be allowed to leave the school premises on their own.
Any visitor who wishes to meet the child during school hours should have written consent from the parent and must seek prior approval from the Head of school.
-Fiji Village
