A circular issued by the Directorate of General Education on entrusting a nodal officer in each school with coordinating activities for stray-dog-free campuses has not gone down well with school teachers. The circular has been issued in the wake of the Supreme Court directives last year on checking the stray dog menace following an increase in attacks by strays in public places, including educational institutions.

Although the circular does not explicitly state that teachers should be appointed as nodal officers, the limited availability of non-teaching staff in government schools effectively places the responsibility on teachers. Government lower primary schools have only a part-time sweeper, upper primary schools have a peon, while high schools have a full-time sweeper, peon, and clerk.

Teachers’ organisations say ensuring students’ safety is their responsibility, but displaying the names and phone numbers of teachers who are nodal officers near the school entrance is akin to insulting them. They point out that content ridiculing teachers by linking them with stray dogs has already begun circulating on social media.

Lack of compound walls

Also, it is pointless asking school authorities to ensure that sufficiently high compound walls, fencing, or gates exist in order to prevent stray dogs from entering campuses. It is the responsibility of local self-government institutions to make sure that school premises are properly secured, say teachers’ organisations, adding that head teachers can do nothing but write to local bodies. The circular is just an attempt by the authorities to evade responsibility, says the Kerala School Teachers’ Association.

Many schools still lack compound walls or fencing, they point out. The circular tasks the nodal officers with informing the local bodies in case the presence of stray dogs is noticed around schools. Food remains and other waste should not be allowed to accumulate on school premises or near the entrance. Scientific waste management should be strictly observed.

Additionally, the circular calls for awareness programmes for students, teachers, and non-teaching staff on safe behaviour around stray dogs, first aid measures in the event of a dog bite, and the importance of reporting such incidents without delay. Heads of schools have been instructed to ensure that local bodies inspect school premises once in three months.