Students get practical insight into working of toll-free helpline facility

A practical exposure to the functioning of Childline-098 was the highlight of the Childline Se Dosti celebration at Seva Sangam Girls' Higher Secondary School to mark Children’s Day on Tuesday.

The demonstration was led by Z. Annie Vijaya, Superintendent of Police, Government Railway Police, Tiruchi, who rang up the toll-free number and held her mobile phone close to the microphone, so that the multitude of students assembled there could listen to the response from the other side.

The call was picked by a volunteer based at Chennai, who transferred it to Tiruchi.

The idea was to encourage students to utilise the toll-free number to deal with any emergency in the event of coming across a child below the age of 18 needing help, J. Godwin Prem Singh, Director, Childline Nodal Agency, Bishop Heber College, said.

Another highlight was the interaction of anti-human trafficking unit personnel with the students. The officials provided the students with their phone numbers, promising swift response to their calls in case they came across children in distress.

Members of Seva Childline and Child Rights Club of the school tied Childline Se Dosti bands on the hands of the invitees.

The programme re-emphasised the need for the officials in Health, Education and Police departments to treat children found in distress situations in bus stands, railway stations and other places with a friendly outlook.

Chief Educational Officer M. Ramakrishnan said steps would be initiated to revive Child Rights Clubs in schools, and mandate them with the responsibility of nurturing leadership qualities in students.

S. Ally Sornam, Dean of Students and Staff Welfare, Bishop Heber College; Thelma Samson, Headmistress, Seva Sangam Girls' HSS; and J. Malarkodi, Inspector, Anti Human Trafficking Unit, Tiruchi, were among the speakers


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