On World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2024, the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL) under the Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Socio-Economic and Educational Development Society (SEEDS), unveiled the Implementation Manual for Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) in New Delhi. This year’s WNTD theme, “Protecting children from tobacco industry interference,” aligns perfectly with the manual’s objectives.
The manual is designed to help schools comply with ToFEI guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, promoting a healthier, tobacco-free student environment. It empowers stakeholders to adopt and enforce these guidelines, safeguarding students from the dangers of tobacco.
Before the event, Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of DoSEL, stressed the importance of educational institutions taking proactive measures to discourage tobacco use and protect children from addiction, transforming schools into tobacco-free zones.
During the unveiling, Shri Anandrao V. Patil, Additional Secretary, DoSEL, underscored the moral and health imperatives of protecting children from tobacco. He emphasised the need for a tobacco-free educational environment. He urged stakeholders to implement the ToFEI manual to reduce tobacco’s harmful impact on students, noting the high mortality rate linked to tobacco use.
Dr Amarpreet Duggal, Joint Secretary, DoSEL, welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts to combat tobacco use among students. She referred to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) 2019, which revealed that 8.5% of students aged 13 to 15 consume tobacco.
Reaffirming their commitment, all dignitaries took an oath against tobacco use, aiming to create a healthier, tobacco-free future for the nation’s youth. Senior officials from the Ministry of Education, autonomous bodies, and States/UTs attended the event, along with Dr Rana J Singh and Shri Deepak Mishra of SEEDS.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Shri U.P. Singh, Director, DoSEL, who expressed gratitude to all dignitaries, partners, and participants for their support and contribution to the successful launch of the ToFEI Implementation Manual.
