Eros Times
Delhi:EROS TIMES: The Delhi government’s CCTV project in classrooms was launched today by chief minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy chief minister Shri Manish Sisodia from the Shaheed Hemu Kalani Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Lajpat Nagar.
This the first Delhi government school, where CCTVs have been installed not just in the campus, but also inside all classrooms, with a view to enhance security.
The chief minister announced that all schools shall have CCTVs inside classrooms by November this year.
“Today is a historic day not just for the country, but also for the world.
There are many schools in various countries in the world where CCTV cameras are being installed, but perhaps this is the first instance where live feeds from every classroom are being provided to parents through a mobile app,” said the chief minister. “In the last five years, the Delhi government has done revolutionary work, which is being talked about all over the world.
But the installation of CCTV cameras with live access to feeds to parents is happening for the first time,” he added.
Speaking about the struggle the government went through to implement this scheme, CM Kejriwal said, “The Opposition tried it’s best to scuttle this project.
They manufactured all kinds of fears, created obstacles; a case was filed against it in the High Court.
But we believed what we were doing was the right thing to do. We believed this project will provide our children security, improve the quality of education and build a better future for them.
Most importantly, the parents who entrust their children to our government schools, will also feel a sense of security.”
“I just visited a six-year-old survivor of a heinous rape at the Safdarjung Hospital.
There are some perverted elements in society who have no fear of any consequences. A CCTV camera in the vicinity captured the crime and the culprit was caught within a few hours.
If he had known he was being recorded by a CCTV camera, perhaps he would not have committed the crime. CCTVs not only serve to give us important evidence needed to nab culprits and ensure strict punishment, but they also create a system of deterrence.
In today’s environment, when children step outside the house, parents are anxious about whether their child will return home safely.
With this CCTV project, they can check during the day whether their child is safely inside the classroom,” said CM Kejriwal.
On the impact of the project on education, the chief minister said, “There are some mischievous children in schools who disturb all other children. Some who leave for school from home, but then skip all classes.
Now these activites can be curbed. Children will have to maintain discipline and decorum in school. Children come to school to learn.”
Addressing concerns of some over privacy, he said, “Children do not come to school for any private activity. Children come here to learn, to be disciplined, to become ideal citizens, to become good human beings.
Where is the question of a breach of privacy? Children, parents, teachers – none of the stakeholders have such concerns.”
Stressing on his government’s commitment to increasing accountability, CM Kejriwal said, “By providing parents with a live feed of the classrooms, we are actually making the government accountable to you for every minute your child spends in our schools.
If you find that there was something wrong with the classes on any day, you can question the government about it.
If any CCTV camera is damaged then parents can immediately hold us accountable and ask why they’re not able to view feeds.
This is what real democracy looks like. This project will strengthen democracy.
Democracy does not mean we vote once in five years, and then not be able to question our elected representatives.”
Confident about the success of the project, he concluded, “I am expecting spectacular results next year as a result of this project.
I do not think so far any project has made me as happy as this one.
In the coming time, this project will prove to be a milestone for the whole world.”
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia explained the rationale for installing CCTVs in classrooms.
He said, “All of you remember that a child died in a private school almost two years ago, and the police investigation into the matter is still on.
That’s when the Chief Minister directed the installation of CCTVs in government school classrooms. First we installed CCTVs in the school campus. In the meantime another accident occured where one of our teachers was killed. That incident had happened inside a class room.”
Sharing why teachers would also benefit, Dy CM Sisodia said, “Teachers face allegations of absenteeism from classrooms.
No one will now be able to wrongly accuse teachers of skipping classes.
During the pilot of this project, I was concerned that everyone may not like CCTVs inside classrooms, but I was surprised to find that both students and teachers gave a positive response for the project. We have observed an identifiable improvement in the behaviour of children in the schools where this project was piloted.”
During an interaction at the event, many parents shared that they are extremely happy about the live feed being provided to them.
They will feel a lot more assured about their children’s wellbeing and progress in school thanks to the project, they said.
*Background note*
The live feeds of classrooms will be provided to parents of children through a mobile app.
Parents will only be able to access the feed for their own child’s classroom using a password that they will be provided with from the school.
The School Principal, the concerned Deputy Director of Education, the Director of Education, and the Education Minister shall have access to live feeds as well as delayed feeds for one month.
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