In a move to strengthen student safety and protect them from the increasing drug menace in the state, while giving the children a voice, schools across Kerala will soon install complaint boxes, under the supervision of the state police.

The initiative is part of a new effort by the School Protection Group (SPG), a team that includes police officers, excise officials, teachers, panchayat members, local government representatives, and parents’ committees. From the start of this new academic year, each school will be assigned a police officer who will oversee the functioning of the complaint system. This step follows Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s directive to protect students from the growing threat of drugs and other dangers.

Although some schools had complaint boxes in the past, many students were hesitant to use them: especially when the boxes were kept in the headmaster’s office. There were also complaints that if the issue involved a teacher, authorities often avoided taking action.

The new system promises to be different. Students will be allowed to drop their complaints into the boxes with or without revealing their names. These boxes will be opened once a month by the police officer in-charge. Complaints that can be resolved within the school will be addressed there, while serious or legal issues will be escalated. Matters involving other departments will be forwarded accordingly. Students will also be allowed to report any misconduct by teachers, with full assurance of confidentiality.

A police officer from the local station will be in charge of each school. In cases where a station has fewer staff, one officer may be responsible for multiple schools. These officers will also keep an eye on the school’s surroundings for any signs of drug activity or violence.

The larger aim of the SPG is to prevent drug use, aggression, and other harmful behaviour among students and to ensure that schools remain safe and supportive spaces for learning.

The state has been making many pragmatic initiatives in the education department. The government recently announced that the first two weeks of the 2025-2026 academic year will be dedicated to social awareness classes instead of the regular textbook curriculum. This initiative is the first of its kind in the country, and aims to educate students on pressing social issues.

Written by Rithu Pawar