Karnataka govt schools, colleges to hold POCSO awareness drive amid rise in teenage pregnancies
_vb_01_vb_89.gif)
Bengaluru: In response to the alarming rise in teenage pregnancies across Karnataka, the state government is launching a large-scale awareness drive on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in all government schools and colleges.
Starting in November and running through January, the programme will be conducted across 40,000 government schools and 4,248 colleges, targeting students from Classes 6 to 12.
“A government order was passed recently to create awareness among students about the POCSO Act. Teachers have already been trained on the POCSO Act by former judges, child rights activists, and legal experts,” The New Indian Express quoted Vidya Kumari, State Project Director of Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, as saying.
The manual prepared for the campaign includes sections on what constitutes child sexual abuse, the provisions and background of the POCSO Act, offences and punishments under the law, child laws (2015–2021) and amendments, guidelines on safe and unsafe touch, and understanding the emotional effects of love and romance during adolescence.
It also educates students on what to do if they are victims or at risk of sexual exploitation, and encourages familiarity with child-friendly police stations and open houses, added the report.
Vasudev Sharma, Executive Director of the Child Rights Trust, praised the government's initiative but suggested it should have been introduced earlier. “Teenage pregnancies have increased in Karnataka, bringing emotional and physical consequences. Before teachers or experts, students must first be taught about human biology and the difference between safe and unsafe touch," TNIE quoted him as saying.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kasaragod: District Collector’s office receives bomb threat from Ukraine
Kasaragod: Security was stepped up at the Kasaragod District Collector’s office after an email warning of a bomb threat was received on Friday evening.
Officials said the message prompted an immediate response from the police, who alerted senior officers and rushed security teams to the spot. The bomb disposal squad and dog squad were also pressed into service.
A detailed search was carried out inside the Collector’s office and in the surrounding premises. Police later confirmed that no explosives or suspicious items were found during the operation.
Preliminary investigation showed that the threat email originated from Ukraine. Police have begun efforts to trace the sender and verify the source of the message.
