The Ministry of Education on Monday said it has rolled out a nationwide campaign on tobacco free educational institutions (ToFEI).

The main objective is to make educational institutions across the nation comply with the ToFEI guidelines of the Union Health Ministry for safeguarding minors and youth from tobacco use, it said.

Notably, the Department of School Education and Literacy has developed a “ToFEI implementation manual” for schools and launched it on World No Tobacco Day on 31st May.

“Augmenting the mission for tobacco free educational institutions, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy has issued a detailed advisory to all States and Union Territories for complying with guidelines of ToFEI in a befitting manner in schools and nearby areas,” the Education Ministry said.

The advisory suggested activities like display of display of “Tobacco Free Education Institution” signage at entrance/boundary wall of educational institution with the information of designated person, display of poster and other awareness materials on harms of tobacco within the premise of educational institutions and organising at least one tobacco control activity every six months in educational institutions.

Among others are marking of 100 yards area from the outer limit of boundary wall/fence of the educational institute and shops within 100 yards of the educational institute shall not sell any kind of tobacco products.

The Secretary also emphasised upon the role of civil society in spreading awareness messages on de-addiction through street plays, video films, talks by NGOs, resource persons etc.

Accordingly, States and 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, the statement said.

Tobacco use is one of the major causes of preventable deaths and diseases 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.

According to Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) 2019, 8.5 per cent of school students in the age group of 13 to 15 consume tobacco in different forms across the country.