'Background checks essential before hiring school staff'

A body of private schools in Kashmir has decided to carry out background checks before hiring any staff including teachers and drivers.
"No school shall henceforth appoint or utilise the services of any staffer -- teacher, lecturer, driver, etc -- without the proper verification of the antecedents of the person concerned. The employee shall be appointed only after an NOC issued by his or her previous employer," Joint Committee of Private Schools (JCPS) said in a statement today.
The JCPS also decided that the merit and qualification shall be given top priority and no person shall be appointed on the basis of any recommendation or extraneous consideration.

"For the safety of the students, the meeting decided that transport fleet of every school shall strictly adhere to all the safety norms as laid out," the statement said.
It was also decided that all schools shall install a compliant box at a prominent place so that the students and the parents can make its use for their problems redressal, the JCPS said.