Hyderabad has once again made it to the news headlines for negative causes and this time too the dubious credit goes to its schools and the education system. The allegations and events that have occurred this time are yet again pointing to the demure state of affairs in the education circle of Hyderabad.
Over the past few years, allegations by parents have been on the rise regarding the corporal punishment measures meted out to the students by the school authorities. The tales of physical and mental torture coupled with harassment have left many flabbergasted with the ethical demeanour of the private schools.
Statistics like these are clear indicators that despite a clear ban on such measures aided by law, the private schools arrogantly flout the norms and extensively violate the rules laid by the judiciary. Many feel that the rise of such incidents is a clear indicator of the falling standards of ethical and professional ethics following by the hordes of private schools operating within the city’s premises.
Activists are of the opinion that the teachers who take to such measures must be trained and educated about the differences between corporal punishment and disciplining. They must attend workshops in this regard to understand the cons of physically harassing, abusing and torturing the young souls.
In the last year, Hyderabad police registered 600 cases of corporal punishment but in the current year, the number has already crossed the 500 mark with more than 5 months of the year still remaining. The police revealed the facts while investigating a recent case where an 11-year old boy set himself ablaze owing to severe humiliation and physical abuse meted out by his school’s principal. The boy belonged to the well-to-do Banjara Hills locale situated in the heart of Hyderabad.
Sadly the student succumbed to his mortal injuries while the school pleaded innocence owing to their obliviousness to the mental state of the students while he was being “disciplined” with corporal punishment. Recently Karimnagar witnessed a gory incident where a class IV student committed suicide due to persistent taunts and physical abuses from the school warden only for not attending his classes.
Surveys conducted by the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) claim that 99.86% of the 6632 surveyed children received some or the other kind of stern punishment at their respective schools. The survey was carried out in seven states including Andhra Pradesh. Not surprisingly, Andhra Pradesh emerged to be the leader in of the pack in the said survey.
A Subba Reddy, the district education officer of Hyderabad says, “We will conduct a detailed enquiry in the cases and issue show cause notices to the management of the allegedly guilty schools. In cases where necessary action is found missing, the schools may lose official recognition.”
Experts feel that teachers must know that counselling a kid after giving punishment is not enough to heal the psychological scars. Moreover the school authorities as well as the principal must keep a strict eye on the happenings of the school to avoid such incidents from occurring in the future.
Tags:
Corporal Punishment
Hyderabad
Education System
Private Schools
Teachers
