In light of rising sexual crimes against kids, schools start hiring more women

The growing number of crimes against children is forcing several schools to hire more women. For example, international preschool Kaleidokids in Andheri, which opened last year, has hired only women for the safety of the toddlers studying in their school. They believe this will not only keep the children safe but also the women working there.

Director of Kaleidokids Maulik Shah said, "Looking at the growing number of crimes against women and children, we thought we should keep only women employees. We have 12 employees — teachers, maids, dietician, security officer, coordinator and curriculum head."

The move by schools of hiring more or only women could be a result of the latest incident of molestation reported wherein a bus attendant allegedly molested a four-year-old south Mumbai kindergarten student, once again raising security concerns among parents.

Despite the school bus safety policy introducing a rule about having at least one woman bus attendant, the school in question did not have one.

"If such crimes keep increasing, the time will soon come when all schools will start hiring only women employees," said Arundhati Chavan, president of United Forum, Parent-Teacher Association.

The School Bus Owners Association (SBOA) has now said it will recruit two women aboard every bus instead of one.

SBOA chairman Anil Garg said, "Most of the schools have now demanded that even the bus's cleaner be a woman. They want two women on every bus. The woman attendant and cleaner will take care of the children on board. The cleaner's job is usually to help children get down from the bus and board it."