LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the provincial secretary school education department to form a committee to make hectic efforts for control of physical/cyber bullying and harassment of children at the educational institutes.

The court passed the order hearing a public interest petition filed by a female lawyer, Sibah Farooq seeking direction to the authorities to take all necessary steps for a safe educational environment in the schools providing education throughout the province and adjourned the proceedings till November 21.

Earlier, Special Secretary School Education Department appeared before the court. He stated that the government was already taking serious steps under the Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2014 and the Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) Ordinance, 1984.

A law officer submitted that the authority concerned made certain proposals for stopping such bullying; however, the court may further expand the relevant provisions of the law to strengthen the concept of safe educational environment in all the schools.

The petitioner’s counsel stated that a policy known as “Child Protection Policy” was already in the field and if the court intervenes, the scope of the said policy may be further strengthened in light of the jurisprudence developed by the superior courts from time to time.

The court observed that it wanted to protect and promote the child justice system as also envisaged by the Supreme Court on various occasions hearing a number of similar cases.

The court noted that the secretary school education department is the official head of all the educational institutions providing education throughout the province and has full mandate to make legislation, policy formulation and planning in various fields related to education, as specified under the rules.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024