Innovative Approach: Helpline Numbers on Report Cards to Combat Child Marriages in Maharashtra
Pune, 9th March 2024: In a proactive move inspired by the Thane Municipal Corporation’s education board, the state education department is contemplating the inclusion of helpline numbers on government school students’ report cards to report instances of child marriages. Education Commissioner Suraj Mandhare expressed the department’s intention to explore the possibility of featuring these helpline numbers on Balbharati textbooks to enhance awareness, particularly in rural areas.
The proposed helpline numbers for reporting cases of child marriage are 1098 and 112. According to Shahapur Education Officer Bhausaheb Chavan, the Thane district administration is formulating an action plan to combat child marriages, encouraging citizens, parents, and students to utilize the helpline numbers when encountering such situations.
Chavan highlighted the prevalence of child marriages in remote areas, where families discreetly marry off minor girls aged between 14 and 15. The helplines, if promptly utilized, have the potential to prevent such occurrences by reporting them to the administration.
Students typically receive their report cards after the conclusion of term-end exams in April, with the open day observed in all government schools on May 1. Mandhare emphasized the department’s interest in studying the success of Thane’s initiative and considering the incorporation of helpline numbers on textbooks, potentially replicating the model across Maharashtra.
