Parents must carry ID cards to pick up kids from school

PUNE: While picking up your child from school, do not forget to carry the

school-issued identity card

. Without the ID, the school may very well refuse to let your child go home with you.

With many students becoming victims of crimes, schools in the city have decided to add an extra layer of security and have started issuing identity cards to parents/guardians. While some schools already had a biometric system for parents and bus attendants, who drop and pick children, identity cards are being added to the list of steps being taken to keep students safe. The schools said a student will not be allowed to leave with a person — even a parent — unless the ID card is presented.

In the past few months, there have been reports of students being abused, attacked and even murdered in schools.

Sunita Bhagwat

, director of

New India School in Bhusari Colony

, said, “Once we had to refuse to let a student go with his parents, because they had not brought their identity card. The parents were offended, but we let the child go with them only when the ID was shown.”

“We have issued two cards to each student. In extreme cases — if a parent has come from a far off place and has forgotten to get the ID card issued by us — we take an undertaking from the parent and check other ID. Once we match them with our records, we hand over the child. But, this is an exception,” said

Anju Luthra

, the principal of the Lexicon International School, Kalyaninagar.

The schools are ensuring that private bus transporters are also identified. Bharti Bhagwani, the principal of G G International School, said, “We need to know the ‘authorised’ parents of each student. IDs have also been issued to the attendants of private vehicles that take children to and from the school.”

Amruta Prabhu, the founder principal of the HDFC School, said, “We have given four ID cards to every student — one each for the child, the parents and one guardian, which could be a grandparent, the bus attendant or even the house help.”

Parents, in general, are more than happy to comply with this rules. Ekta Sohoni, whose child is a student of the Bishop’s School, in Kalyaninagar, said “ I feel this is the need of the hour. I will not be surprised if, in future, technology is used to track the children. It will benefit working parents.”

Subodh Jain

, another parent, also thinks ID cards are a step in the right direction. However, he feels the security can be tightened further. “Apart from the show of ID, people should be frisked at the gate before they are allowed into the school,” he said.

Chitra Nair, mother of a five-year-old, said, “This is a great idea. Unfortunately, this happened after a life was lost. My child’s school has one of the safest environments. I am happy that my child is in good hands.


Explore the yearly horoscope 2025 for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes, messages and quotes.