Safer schools, safer future
In today’s digital world, it takes only a few seconds for a child’s photograph to go viral and fall into the wrong hands. With cyber threats cropping up every day, the recent directives issued by the Government of Assam regarding the safety and privacy of schoolchildren have come as a much-needed wake-up call. Schools are not just places where lessons are carried out; they are spaces where parents place blind faith in the system. Therefore, protecting children both offline and online should never be brushed aside. The advisory rightly calls upon schools, teachers, and guardians to refrain from putting up students’ photographs, videos, uniforms, personal details, or live locations on social media without proper caution. In an era where cyberbullying, identity theft, AI morphing, and online exploitation are on the rise, safeguarding a child’s digital footprint is no longer something that can be swept under the carpet. These measures will go a long way in building trust between schools and parents. Schools will be more careful while dealing with student-related information, and teachers too will think twice before sharing anything online. More importantly, such steps will help bring about a culture of responsibility, sensitivity, and discipline in educational institutions.
However, there is still room to tighten the screws further. Cyber safety workshops should be held regularly so that students, teachers, and parents can keep up with evolving online dangers. Schools must also bring in trained counsellors to help students cope with bullying, emotional stress, and harassment. Background verification of staff and drivers, regular safety drills, functional CCTV cameras, and confidential complaint systems should not remain only on paper but must be properly implemented. Awareness programmes on self-defence and responsible social media use can further add to the safety net. Children are the backbone of tomorrow’s society, and their safety cannot be taken lightly at any cost. If we fail to shield our children today, we may end up opening the door to dangers we can no longer control tomorrow. Assam has taken a commendable step; now it is time for every school and every citizen to step up and stand guard over the future of our children.
Dipen Gogoi,
Teok, Jorhat,
Assam as an anchor of India-Bhutan ties
Assam is no longer just a gateway to the Northeast; it is steadily becoming a strategic bridge connecting India with its neighbouring nations. The growing partnership between Assam and Bhutan reflects how diplomacy today is built not only through political meetings, but also through trade, connectivity, culture, energy cooperation, and mutual trust. What makes this relationship important is the shared understanding that border regions should become zones of opportunity rather than isolation. Better roads, trade corridors, tourism, and infrastructure projects can transform the lives of people on both sides while strengthening regional stability. Assam’s rising economic and logistical importance gives Bhutan access to wider markets, while Bhutan’s cooperation adds depth to India’s Act East vision. This partnership also sends a larger message: development in the Northeast is no longer being viewed solely through a security lens, but as a powerful engine of regional growth. If handled with long-term vision, Assam and Bhutan together can create a model of peaceful cross-border cooperation where economic progress, cultural respect, and strategic interests move hand in hand.
Aditya Kamble,
Karnataka
Menstrual hygiene
is paramount
The Supreme Court of India (SC) has gone on record that a girl's menstrual hygiene is paramount to ensuring that she does not withdraw from her studies. The availability of sanitary napkins and gender-segregated toilets in schools goes a long way in ensuring that there are no girl dropouts from schools. The SC has stressed the use of "oxo-biodegradable" napkins in the premises of the toilets. "The Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution includes the right to menstrual health." The court's observations on January 30 and again on May 25 could not have come at a more opportune time, considering May 28 is "Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD)".
Safety, affordability, and effectiveness are the three important aspects related to good menstrual hygiene. Awareness, not only among women but across society, cannot be stressed enough because rigid cultural norms and narrow-mindedness often dictate a woman's menstruation. Every woman needs to know what constitutes heavy menstrual bleeding and ways to mitigate its repercussions. Knowledge about the frequency of bleeding and the changing of napkins is essential.
Dr Ganapathi Bhat,
gbhat13@gmail.com
Stray dogs’ management
The last Saturday's editorial, 'SC Tightens Leash on Stray Dog Management', is a necessary intervention in the worsening public safety crisis. The top court bench observed that the right to life includes living without the threat of street dog attacks, balancing public safety with animal welfare. Therefore, dogs once removed from sensitive public places like schools and hospitals cannot be released back to their original locations. One will agree with the fact that many stray dogs are a boon to residents in a locality, serving as loyal guardians of houses and valuables by staying alert against thieves through the night. The court has also emphasised vaccination, sterilisation, shelter care, and prevention of uncontrolled breeding, which must be appreciated by all to prevent the alarming rise in incidents of stray dog bites. The court's directives to municipalities, state governments, and Union Territories to strengthen infrastructure and increase dog shelters are no doubt challenging, but they need time-bound execution to strike a balance between humans and animals.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati