Special monitoring cells
to take action in cases of physical punishment, undertakings by teachers
against beatings and social audits of schools in areas of corporal
punishment are among guidelines unveiled today by National Commission
for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
The NCPCR on Monday
brought out the Guidelines after a detailed study which was conducted in
2009-10 involving 6,632 children across seven states revealed a
shameful picture.
The NCPCR survey revealed
that the use of physical punishments was rampant in Indian schools and
cane beating by teachers was a common practice.
Even kids in the age
groups 3 to five years were not spared, the survey revealed. The survey
also revealed prevalence of cruel forms of punishment like giving
electric shocks to children.
Equipped with the hard
findings of its survey, the NCPCR revealed a slew of measures which is
feels would seriously dent the "spare the rod, spoil the child" methods.
Amongst the prominent
measures that the guidelines suggest is the formation of Corporal
Punishment Monitoring Cells (CPMCs) by schools.
The CPMCs should not only
hear grievances related to corporal punishment, child sexual abuse,
mental harassment but also forward recommendations to district level
authorities within 48 hours of the occurrence.
The NCPCR's "Guidelines
for eliminating corporal punishment in schools" also suggest that school
teachers should provide a written undertaking stating that they would
not engage in any action that could be construed as amounting to
physical punishment, mental harassment or discrimination.
Another novel idea
suggested by NCPCR is for schools to have annual social audits of
physical punishment, harassment and discrimination.
The guidelines suggest
that results of the audit should be made public before start of every
new academic year.
The guidelines also
advocate that an environment free of corporal punishment should be
stipulated as one of the conditions for giving recognition to schools by
the state governments.
All school children
should be informed through campaigns and publicity drives that they have
a right to speak against physical punishments, mental harassment and
discrimination.
The NCPCR study had
earlier found that out of the 6, 632 children, 6,623 children had
reported experiencing some kind of punishment.
As many as 81.2 percent
children had been subject to outward rejection by being told that they
were not capable of learning or some other kind of verbal punishment.
Of all the interviewed
children, 75 percent reported that they had been hit by a cane while 69
percent had been slapped on the cheeks.
The NCPCR data also
quashes the popular belief that schoolgirls are treated less severely
than boys.
As per the study, if 78
percent of boys had experienced cane beatings, 71 percent of the girls
also had also suffered the same.
Slaps on the cheek happen
to be the second-most common form of corporal punishment in schools
with 69.9 percent students admitting to have experienced it. Amongst the
students interviewed, 71.9 percent boys and 67.1 percent girls admitted
having been slapped on the face.
The third most prevalent
punishment, beating of the back was experienced by 57.5 percent students
with 59.8 boys and 53.9 girls admitted having suffered it.
The NCPCR data rated
punishments in order of prevalence in schools and getting boxed on the
ears, beaten on hand by scale and getting pinched were among the six
most prevalent modes of physical punishment.
Pulling hair, which
happened to be the seventh most common mode of punishment, happens to be
the only mode of punishment which is used more on girl students then on
boys, the NCPCR data reveals.
The data also reveals
that physical punishments were prevalent in both government and private
schools.
When it comes to beatings
by cane, 78. 2 percent of children in state government schools and 78.9
percent children in central government schools had suffered the
punishment.
However, 69 percent
children in private schools had also undergone similar punishment, the
study revealed.
The NCPCR in its study
report also claimed that the youngest group of children between the ages
of 3 to 5 years often got beaten over substandard academic performance.
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