Whacking’s how we discipline kids
By Payal Ganguly - HYDERABAD
10th December 2012 10:12 AM
-
A file photo of 5-year-old Ghouse, whose body bears marks of injuries caused by caning by his school teacher in Hyderabad in November | Express Photo
A whack on the head or a pinch on the ears is considered a part of bringing up a child and inculcating discipline by many. The umbrella term of corporal punishment which defines the treatment meted out to children at home across the country, child protection centres and schools do little to highlight the ghastly physical and mental damage it causes.
“A culture of disrespect to children prevails in our society,” observes Shantha Sinha, chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The mindset prompted a teacher to punish a 4-year-old boy at Anaparthi in East Godavari district by forcing him to drink his own urine when the student of LKG, unable to control his urge, relieved himself in a plastic bottle in the classroom. Apart from insulting or discriminating against children, multiple cases of physical injury and death have been attributed to corporal punishment.
On December 1, a teacher caned 10-year-old Koneru Shiva for being absent for two days. The student of DPEP School at Holagunda in Kurnool district was caned mercilessly by his teacher J Veerabhadraiah resulting in a fractured elbow.
“A large number of children drop out of schools after being subjected to corporal punishment or facing discrimination on grounds of caste, gender and other factors. All these come under the ambit of Section 17 of the Right To Education Act which reads that ‘No child will be subject to physical or mental harassment’,” observes Dr Shantha Sinha.
She adds that in a survey conducted by NCPCR, it was found that 97 per cent of school children had been subject to physical and mental forms of punishment.
Often it is easier to take action against government schools which report cases of corporal punishment as compared to institutes run by private managements. “Government schools can be easily held accountable. However, there is a lack of transparency while dealing with private schools. It is usually observed that the school management protects the accused rather than the child. This defeats the purpose of a school meant for children,” says the chairperson of NCPCR.
Incidents of corporal punishment are not confined to just districts. A 15-year-old boy, Mohammed Ismail of Royal Embassy School at Madannapet in Hyderabad, succumbed to fever after being forced to do 210 sit-ups in the class. His parents lodged a complaint with the police and vandalised the school but to no avail as ‘compromise’ is the norm in most of the cases. “A majority of cases do not reach a logical conclusion as most of the parents fear retribution from the managements and their ward being singled out and targeted for further humiliation,” explains Sinha.
Also read
Post a Comment
Recent Activity
- Japan support sought for Vision 2023
- Rahul aide to pick Nellore MP candidate
- Kerala: PSC guidelines put candidates in a fix
- Dead son's education loan: Bank seeks its pound of flesh
- With Advani visit, Modi begins charm offensive
- Social media goes martial over High Court's marital ruling
- Slum removal scheme tweaked to make it more effective
- Ready to tune in the lord, catch him up on Twitter
- Thousands missing near Kedarnath shrine
- Indian Coast Guards help rescue 26 crew from shipwreck near Yemen
- Tata Motors unveils 8 upgraded models of passenger vehicles
- Flaws in Koodankulam plant
- Army Major captures 'UFO' in Kerala
- Prices of 348 drugs to come down drastically from May 15
- Callgate: Doctors were prime target for Biju, Saritha Nair
- Learnt to embrace simplicity from SRK: Puvisha
Comments(2)
There is no question of ruling out the incidents - but the question remains: are these incidents being used as the whips to subvert a social culture and impose an alien culture? A system where parents and teachers have smaller control on kids and state more? A system where spouse and family share increasingly less intimate and more formal and mechanical relations? Definitely, the teacher should be a caring human - but how are teachers being created? What is the criteria for selecting teachers? When the criteria does not look at the human angle, what is the logic in expecting it after they join those jobs? When people with low culture level become teachers by virtue of acads, what can you expect? Same with doctors or any other profession, of course. Earlier, teaching or doctoring had its respect - though it did not have money. That is because there was an expected code of conduct and their stature as humans. Today, it is just another business - we are looking at the wrong solution.
Posted by Kumaran at 12/10/2012 13:19 Reply to this Report abuse
It is definitely wrong to spank children to such an extent that they get bruises or get deeply hurt on their body. It leaves a psychological fear in them. But Countries like Norway are going to the extremes in implementing rules. Every country has different cultures. In the Indian Army they are very strict about indiscipline. It might be different in the American Army. But then one has to look at the way Army Soldiers of the US behaved with detainees of gautanambay prison. Indian Army Soldiers are definitely not so cruel. In India a cute looking baby is touched on its chin and when it smiles further people touch its cheek. But the same cannot be done in United States Of America. The child's parents would sue the person touching his child's chin. But definitely spanking a child to inflict injuries is not correct and is a crime.
Posted by citizenofindia at 12/12/2012 02:16 Reply to this Report abuse