In view of the cases of child lifting being reported across the state, the Directorate of School Education (DoSE), Nagaland on Monday – 3 October 2022 – issued directives to all the government run and private schools functioning in the state.

These guidelines will require schools, parents, police, authorities, and responsible citizens to work together to ensure safety of children from child lifters.

Further, the directives include creative awareness in children about kidnapping and child trafficking and teaching children ways to raise alarm when faced with such a situation.

DoSE has notified that the directives should be strictly adhered.

1. One Teacher each may be made in-charge of one section/class to control access of unknown persons to students and to check authenticity of every person who meets students in schools.
2. Attendance taken at the first period should be verified by all subject teachers during the subsequent periods.
3. If any student is found bunking classes, School authorities/Teachers should confirm from parents whether the students are absent in actual or missing.
4. Regular awareness should be given to Students, Teachers, and Parents in co-ordination with Police Department.
5. Students should be given awareness about preventing the case of kidnappings via movie clips/plays/painting or other competitions/awareness campaigns etc.
6. Students should be taught to rush and take help from the nearby authorities like Driver in Bus, Principal/Teachers in Schools, Parents, nearby Churches on roads, TTE in Trains etc.
7. Students should be taught to remember at least two emergency phone numbers and addresses (Parents/favourite Teacher) to use in case of any two
8. Basic self-defence may be taught in all schools with a caution of not getting harmed by mighty in time of resistance. Where to use self-defence and where to resist should also be taught.
9. There can be a Mock Drill to teach SOP in case a child kidnapping case is reported with different scenarios like kidnapping at railway station/or bus/or school etc.
10. Techniques like Child shouting loud, “Help Help Help” if anyone suspicious approaches child in public can be taught in mock drills.
11. Children may be taught of indirect signals which a child can use to communicate to nearby people to save one from dangerous persons.
12. Immediate information to police should be given in case of any case is reported.
13. Child Helpline 1098 should be used immediately when any case of child kidnapping is reported.
14. Helpline Numbers of Local Police Station/Control Room shall be displayed in Classrooms & Prominent places within the school premises.
15. Assistance of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) may be taken to impart awareness to Students, Parents, Teachers and Public.
16. Parents may be advised to avoid uploading pictures of children in social medias as anti-social elements track their activities like school time/sports time etc and make plan of kidnapping accordingly.
17. Authenticity of shop owners nearby schools should be verified by the school authorities and Police/Civil Administration should be informed in case of suspicions.
18. CCTVs inside schools and outside school gates may be installed.