CCTV cameras to be installed in Delhi schools, share live footage with parents
By Sanjay Maurya
News Highlights
- Delhi will install CCTV cameras in all classrooms run by the state government and the live feed will be shared with the parents.
- Delhi government announced in 2019 that it would install CCTV cameras in all state-run schools.
- The goal behind this initiative was to increase the security of students.
According to reports, CCTV cameras will soon be installed in Delhi government schools and the live feed will be shared with the parents. In 2019, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced to install CCTV cameras in all government schools and provide a live feed of classes to parents. “The PWD is executing the project of construction of classrooms and schools and there is a plan of installing CCTVs in classrooms. There is also a plan to share the feed with the parents. This is all the education department’s brainchild we are merely executing it,” a source told PTI.
“The step is aimed at ensuring the safety of students and also ensure transparency in the teaching system. The education department’s plan says that sharing feed with parents will ensure transparency and let them know what their kid is studying,” according to the report. The parents will be given secured login credentials with individual IDs and passwords to connect and watch live CCTV footage. The PWD will update students’ details and parents’ mobile numbers, which will be collected and provided by all government schools, in its software. However, only those parents will be provided login credentials who have signed consent forms.
“After getting consent from the parents and guardians, the principals will compile the student details in an excel format and submit it to the PWD which will upload the details in the software,” according to reports. The supply, testing, installation, commissioning and comprehensive Annual Maintenance of Contract (AMC) of CCTV cameras in government schools was given to the Public Works Department (PWD).
“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 to the project. We have observed an identifiable improvement in the behavior of children in the schools where this project was piloted,” Sisodia said.
