Partha expresses concerns over Blue Whale game

Kolkata: State Education minister Partha Chatterjee on Thursday expressed concerns over the allegations of a number of students getting victimised by the Blue Whale game across the state.

On the sidelines of an event to organise Public Library Day by the Department of Mass Education & Library Sciences, Chatterjee said: "Is Blue Whale a game? It should be stopped immediately. We have asked the schools to ensure that students do not carry mobile phones to schools and the authorities should be on alert."

Students are not permitted to carry mobile phones to schools. But often they do it taking advantage of the slackness in vigil. "Now, the minister wants schools to keep a hawk's eye," an Education department official said.

As many as 25 government schools in the city have been identified where UNICEF will conduct workshops regarding use of "safe Internet" by schoolchildren. Simultaneously, a workshop will be conducted in a few private schools as well.

Among the government schools, Hindu School, Jodhpur Park School, Binodini Girls are few of the schools that have been selected where such workshops will be conducted. Students of nearby schools will also be asked to attend. "The project will be launched as a pilot project and after assessing its results, it will be extended to other schools as well," the official said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has already alerted its affiliated schools to take necessary steps to combat the menace of Blue Whale game and check vulnerability of students. It has also arranged for workshops to educate children against playing this game.

The association of ICSE schools in Bengal will hold a sensitisation workshop on online gaming and Internet addiction, covering around 200 schools.