The Kerala government has announced a comprehensive set of school safety protocols, inspired by the heartbreaking 2019 Wayanad incident where a schoolgirl lost her life after a snakebite inside her classroom.
The new measures, framed under the direction of the Kerala High Court, call for close coordination between the education, health, forest, and local self-government departments. The scope extends not only to schools under the general education department but also to CBSE, ICSE institutions, and even anganwadis through coordination with the women and child development department.
Key highlights of the guidelines include mandatory safety audits of school premises, establishing a well-equipped first-aid room in every school, preparing a child emergency response plan with details of nearby hospitals equipped with anti-venom and pediatric care, and conducting regular mock drills. The rules also stress the importance of clean toilets and proper infrastructure for students.
The High Court has further directed that all snakebite cases be made notifiable under the Kerala Public Health Act, ensuring mandatory reporting. The government has been asked to issue a circular within two weeks, formalizing the rules and assigning responsibilities across departments.
Importantly, the court clarified that while schools must maintain safety standards, they should not be burdened with duties that rely on government infrastructure—such as ensuring anti-venom availability, which remains the state’s responsibility. To ensure long-term effectiveness, a joint committee headed by the Chief Secretary will oversee the implementation and periodic revision of these protocols.
With these sweeping measures, Kerala aims to prevent a repeat of classroom tragedies and guarantee that emergency response mechanisms are swift, coordinated, and backed by medical readiness.
