CBSE issues Blue Whale guidelines to schools for safe internet usage

Recently a circular has been issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to all the schools in form of an initiative to push them towards installing effective firewalls, filtering and monitoring software structure in all the computers and a daily review filtering and blocking policies and procedures.

The reason behind this approach was for the internet majors to remove links of the deadly blue whale challenge- an online game which asks the player to kill self to complete the final task.

The circular named ‘‘Guidelines for Safe and Effective Use of Internet and Digital Technologies in Schools and School Buses’ has been issued to nearly all 18,000-affiliated school across India.

The circular issued by CBSE says “The potential of information technology as a valuable learning resource is immense. However, if children use the internet without safety awareness, they may fall prey to illegal activity or abuse such as cyberbullying, fraud or something even more serious. Hence, awareness of internet safety norms can never be ignored to make children free to explore knowledge without feeling intimidated. Increasing proliferation and sophistication of various electronic devices makes it more obligatory for schools to control and monitor their use by students,”

Not only that schools also been asked to draft a policy on the safe use of electronic devices and implement it too.

CBSE has also attached the component related to safe internet usage that is available in the information security education and awareness website that is already applicable to schools. This also includes tips for the student to stay safe on the internet. This circular has been issued on Friday which also states that schools must consider promoting a safe and secure educational environment for better teaching and learning, also to discourage students from taking self-harming actions, to wisely handle their peers and to follow value system.

To prevent any illegal activity through IT enabled devices schools are advised to take strict measures.  School authorities have been asked to make children aware of the rules and follow them prominently also to educate students for the safe and effective use of the internet.