Education ministry rolls out campaign for tobacco-free schools, issues guidelines

NEW DELHI: The ministry of education has launched a nation-wide campaign on Tobacco Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) as part of the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP). The guidelines have been issued to safeguard minors and youth from tobacco use.

The use of tobacco is one of the major causes of preventable deaths in India and accounts for nearly 1.35 million deaths every year in the country. India is also the second largest consumer and producer of tobacco. The guidelines were issued especially taking into account the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) 2019, which revealed that 8.5 percent of school students in the age group of 13 to 15 consume tobacco in different forms across the country.

“Easy access to tobacco products in its different forms around our school buildings and campuses is believed to be one of the major contributing factors causing the above situation,” the ministry said.

ToFEI guidelines

The following steps are to be taken by the school authorities, as per the regulations issued by the ministry.

• Display ‘Tobacco Free Area’ signage inside the premises of the school with the information of the designated person.
• Display “Tobacco Free Education Institution” signage at entrance and boundary wall of school with the information of designated person.
• There should not be any evidence of tobacco use inside the premises like cigarette or bidi butts or discarded gutka or tobacco pouches, and spitting spots.
• Display of posters and other awareness materials on harms of tobacco within the premises of educational institutions.
• Organizing at least one tobacco control activity every 6 months.
• Nomination of ‘Tobacco Monitors’ and their names, designation, and contact number are to be mentioned on the signage.
• Inclusion of “No Tobacco Use” guidelines in the school code of conduct.
• Marking of 100 yards area from the outer limit of boundary wall of the educational institute.
• Shops within 100 yards of the schools shall not sell any kind of tobacco products.
• Take pledge against tobacco use as given in the Implementation Manual of ToFEI.

The regulations also highlighted the role of civil society in spreading awareness through street play, video games, talks by NGOs and experts. “Accordingly, States/UTs were advised to use the avenues of School Management Committee meetings, National Social Service and Vidyanjali-School Volunteer Initiative to rope in resource persons, NGOs working in this area to spread awareness on tobacco prevention and consumption covering all stakeholders including students, teachers, parents and staff working in the educational institutions,” it added.