A detailed set of guidelines have been issued by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) under which the council has defined the role of teachers, parents and students in the ethical use of the internet.
Some prominent points from the guidelines are:
- Banning the use of USBs in the school
- Blocking pop-ups from the websites
- Keeping a check on the appearance of the new and unfamiliar icons and applications
“The students should be taught to not engage or argue with cyberbullies as it might encourage the even worse behaviour. They should use the built-in filters to prevent further harassment through e-mail or instant messaging by cyberbullies. The students need to be told that they should never meet people they have known only through online internet and should not do anything online which is not preferred to be done in the presence of others,” the guidelines read.
The teachers have been advised by the CBSE to keep an eye on the students for behavioral changes.
“Students should not log in as someone else to read their e-mails or mess with their online profiles; attempt to infect or in any way try to make someone else’s computer unusable and not download any attachments from an unknown source as they may contain viruses,” the instruction manual said.
Introduction of courses and activities for the students to make them aware of the online threats are also among the suggestions.
“Schools should advocate, model and teach the safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology; promote and model responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information; celebrate cyber security week and conduct activities to create awareness through cyber clubs,” it added.