KARACHI: In order to deter school and seminary teachers to mete out the corporal and mental abuse on children, the Sindh School Education and Literacy Department has Tuesday rolled out instructions to set up committees within the institutions to deal with such matters as they arise. No child or student shall be ‘harmed physically, mentally or emotionally…” the notification released today noted. Thus, to ensure its implementation, the school and literacy institutions are required to set up committees to deal with such complaints. The committees shall comprise the head of the institutions, a concerned department head, and a guardian or parent of the victim. The committee’s responsibility will be to collect evidence and receive all the complaints on the allegations and suspicion of corporal punishment inflicted upon a child. It shall also protect the child and extend to them emotional, psychological and medical support as may be required. Within a span of 15 days since the filing of complaints, the committee will have to make a report on the matter, the notification read. The notification has been released by the education secretary, and it says no physical or emotional harm will be allowed on students and minors. There will be workshops to aware students of their rights in the educational institutions as well. Seperately today, the department announced cutting down 50 per cent of staff attendance in the secretariat’s school education and literacy office as the Covid numbers have shown a dreadful spike in the province. The department of education in Sindh secretariate will continue with 50 pc attendance while the remaining half shall operate remotely, a notification to that effect confirmed today.