Media Release
Mangaluru, Jul 12: St Aloysius College Higher Primary School organized an awareness programme on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) in the school auditorium. The event aimed to educate students, staff, and parents about the crucial aspects of child protection under the POCSO Act.
The programme began with a warm welcome by the Headmistress, Jositta Noronha, who introduced the resource person, Dr Vidya Vinutha D’Souza. Dr Vidya is an Assistant Professor in the PG department of social work at St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangalore, and the director of St Aloysius Prakashana, the publication center of St Aloysius Institutions. Teacher Ashwini gave a floral welcome to Dr Vidya.
Fr John D’Souza SJ, the correspondent, Victor Serrao - the vice-president of the PTA and his team, staff and students were also welcomed.
Dr Vidya Vinutha D’Souza commenced her session by explaining the meaning of the POCSO Act and who is protected under its provisions. She discussed the various types of offences covered under POCSO and emphasized the rights of children. She informed the role of students in reporting POCSO violations and shared preventive tips for children. Further she stressed the importance of parents and guardians educating their children about safe touch and unsafe touch.
To make her presentation more interactive, Dr Vidya called a student on stage and demonstrated how to say NO if one feels uncomfortable with anyone's behavior. This practical demonstration was well-received and provided the students with a clear understanding of personal safety measures.
The session concluded with a query segment, where students asked insightful questions regarding the topics covered. A parent also expressed gratitude to the management and the Headmistress for organizing such an informative and necessary programme.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Padmanabha Rao. He expressed his gratitude towards the government for enacting the POCSO Act and thanked everyone involved in making the programme a success.