‘Spare the rod and spoil the child’ is a cliché proverb at the brim of an eviction. The Government of India is now on a pursuit to redefine some conventional rules in Education System and to create a new dictum ‘Spare the rod or end up in jail’. Raman Kalyanasundaram illustrates the background strategies which poked the Government to have such a premonition.

Recently I met a media girl who was in a hurry running along with the investigative officers on duty searching explosives and the hands behind it. (In the present day India, such a sequence has nothing uncommon as every day we hear the news of bomb explosion or sabotages of various varieties by innumerable sectors of hard liners). While she was curiously asking about the know-how of the dug out gelatin sticks, I just hurled a question at her. “If you happened to get such a thing what would you do?’

Her abrupt response has taken me aback. “I will put this at the very building of my school and will see how it works”. I know that she is neither an extremist nor a hard-liner but a smart and well-learned journalist with a very good track-record. What would have prompted her to utter such intense words? Abhorrence, utmost hatred, I got the answer in the next moment.

When I tag along the thread of that negativity, I could meet with a lot of such incidents, unnoticed, untold and unreported. A big segment of the society keeps disgust and sometimes a feeling of resentment with the school where they got reared up. That hatred is never meant to shoot at the ‘school building’ as that reporter girl said, but towards the bitter experiences they might have undergone there either by the teachers or by the school authorities or by the senior students. It sounds something dissonant to the Indian culture which is solely built on a solid educational structure with ‘gurukula’ system where we adored teachers as ‘gurus’ next to God and parents. So such a thought should not have evolved right in this soil. Despite such a background culture, why it happens?

What happens in schools?

Last week the Minister for HRD, Mr.Kapil Sibal has ordered stringent guidelines to be formulated against corporal punishments practiced in schools. His statements were the verbal impacts of the enquiries conducted by NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) over the teaching environment in the schools across the nation. The Minister’s order not only redefines corporal punishments but suggests immediate action against those who impose such punishments on children.

The aforesaid enquiry was conducted after a much chaotic ambit created across the nation over an incident that happened in Kolkata in last February. Rouvanjit Rawla , a12 year old boy hanged himself after he was caned and humiliated repeatedly by his teachers. Just after one week of this episode, another 11 year old boy, Shanno from another school in Kolkata itself, had to undergo a psychiatric treatment as he was ‘mentally broken up’ by the verbal and physical abuses from his teachers. Feared of the former incident, Shanno’s father filed a complaint against the school authorities.

These two adjacent incidents stirred the whole system to take solid decisions to make laws against corporal punishments prevailing in all schools, here.

When Teachers turn to Torturers

As a person actively involved in the working machinery system of a segment of schools, I used to get a lot of wailings and whimpering from parents complaining their children as being ill-treated by the teachers. In fact, I had not taken it seriously, keeping in mind the ‘over-concerns’ of today’s parents who have only one or two kids with whom they weave their whole dreams and expectations. But when the phrase ‘corporal punishment in school’ hit the headlines as well as my head, I turned to my phone to search for that journalist.

She narrated her tear-stained school memoirs which even now rein over her professional and personal life. The ill-treatments she suffered from her teachers for being the lone girl from an average family among those from the affluent, the humiliations, the verbal and physical abuse for the late comings as she had been depending private buses to come to school, the multiple canings and kneel downs for not doing home works without hearing the solid reasons behind it, a week long sitting on the floor for hitting a class mate who was the daughter of a DySP….. and so on. “The only reason why they made me glued to the institution was that I was their lone rank expectation in the public examination. But I deliberately have done it… I reached the brim of that rank-halo..after that  I turned be a kite with broken thread and finally landed here. My father’s wish was to make me an IAS officer….”, she broke out.

After her version, I could figure out the various shades inter-twined in the umpteen complaints from parents and students alleging a ‘purposeful humiliation’ from the school authorities and teachers.

A mother once told me about her second standard daughter’s worries. In fact, it was the worry of a mother about her late-born boon, her one and only daughter. I was amazed to hear that she or her husband had never even scolded their daughter till date. That girl is very brilliant but quiet also. The mother’s complaint was about her English teacher. She used to abuse her daughter verbally for apparently zero reason and on the Open House day, the teacher made the mother also insulted publicly for her daughter’s ‘misbehaviors’ in the class. Because of her ‘too much talkative nature’ the teacher used to make her sit isolated on the floor the whole period. “How much my daughter would have wounded sir?” the mother was in tears. “I asked the other teachers also. No one had any complaint regarding my daughter rather all praised her for her brilliance and discipline. I know why she is doing it to my daughter alone. It is on the ground of personal grudge towards my husband. Last year he spoke something against teachers in general in a PTA meeting”.

Teachers on the other side never let completely down the pace of corporal punishments. They quote their text books saying both reward and punishment are powerful incentives that influence learning favorably. I t means that punishment should be used as a motivating force wherever we feel it would be effective, especially in the case of boys. To effectively implement this practice so as to get the positive result, the teacher should have the patience and ability to understand each and every student whom he teaches. And that seems to be unfeasible in the present scenario having more than 50 students in a primary class where individual attention is a must to go through. They also asserted that certain parents want their children to be disciplined and for that they ask the teachers to put any extreme measures on the child whom they are ‘fed up with’.

For reasons like talking in the class, fiddling with some objects, for not paying attention, for not doing home work, or sometimes wearing a uniform which, say, an inch shorter than the school regulations and like petty reasons the children in our schools are mentally or physically tortured. Teachers out of their personal or professional frustrations behave as if the Trainee Police Constables to the remanded culprits. But while venting their emotions in such whooping manner they do not know what is happening in the mind scape of the children under its thrust.

Versions  of  punishments

Caning, slapping, pinching, hitting the knuckles with scale, pulling ear lobes, etc are the common methods of physical abuse. Making them stand in the sun, stand out side, sit on the floor, asking them to bring their parents, sending them to Principals etc are negative enforcements which may cause severe psychological impacts in the child’s mind. Undoubtedly we can say that a frequently hit child will be a problematic person tomorrow.

One day a parent told me over phone that his fourth standard son had been physically tortured by one of his male teachers. The teacher was said to make the child tie his both hands over the shoulders. When he developed chest pain the doctor told the parent that in such tender age the chance of crushing of the internal organs is more if subjected to such abnormal stretching.

A senior teacher who teaches in 9^th and 10^th standards told me :’ In the month of June, I use my cane or wooden scale frequently in every class. That is enough to make them disciplined in the whole year.”

In some schools canes are banned already. One day a High School teacher from a State Syllabus school told me. “ …that decision made us irritated a lot. It is very easy to preach about teaching by inspiring. But sir, practically it is impossible. Certain students are there, coming to school only to satisfy their parents or to play with their friends. They won’t even give an ear to the teacher. At such contexts, we can’t help using a cane. Once is enough. But now the cane is not allowed, so at times we use our palms or metal or wooden scale. It may not be meant to vent our anger but of sincerity as we do to our own children.” .

Another teacher mourned: “I am a double post graduate with B.Ed. But I got the class charge of the first standard students here. I don’t know how to deal with such small children and I do not have enough material to supply with also.” He felt disappointed on his appointment and left the job within 3 months. But certain others glue to the post expecting a ‘promotion’ to the higher class in ‘one fine morning’. The time in between is tedious, difficult to cope with making the teachers burst out at times. For such teachers all the behavioral patterns of the children will be ‘misbehavior’.

At  the  feet  of  a  Guru

Respect and Love, we cannot enforce into. It has to be drawn out with patience and understanding. Teachers must follow this pattern as their profession always carries the halo of divinity, as it professes enlightenment.

I could perceive a lighter but brighter side of this verity apparently contrasting to the whole episodes mentioned, during my pursuit along this thread. We do have some teachers as in the Text books of Psychological Education quoted. I met them personally after listening to a big segment of contented parents and worthy students who had the luck to be under those teachers. “Actually, it was she who found out the fact that my daughter possesses a talent for singing and she herself pointed out a good music teacher who can lead my daughter well. Now while my daughter beats each stage, we fondly remember that LKG teacher. See, my daughter still goes and meet that teacher before her every recording or a stage-show.”, remarked a contented father once.

Like that once another parent told me about his son who is a well known artist in Kerala. For every step forward in his life, he and his parents said, they are indebted to his KG teacher. “If that teacher was not there, he would never be in this position as we parents do not own any tint of an artistic talent. We couldn’t make out our son’s talent. That teacher herself took him to the art teacher and asked him to train him..Actually, we don’t have any hand in it.”, standing amidst his son’s trophies commented a proud father.

I too felt happy to hear this, since these teachers were a part of Bhavans Schools with which I have been associated.

What happens to the child?

On the other hand, when teachers behave roughly on a second’s spur to the student, never trying to find out anything hidden in the child apart from the curricular topics, the students may develop a kind of negativity not only to the teacher but towards the whole community also. Verbal abuse also makes the children feel a low self-esteem and a negative self-image and they usually tend to push away through avoidance of strategies such as disobedience. They may fall into unhealthy habits such as over-eating and intoxications. Another common way to cope is resorting to anti-social behavior.

In the frequent hartal times we meet such beings who do heroic vandalism not as a political proceeding but as a mere pastime. On the road sides we see wandering hooligans ready do to anything for money or name. In the prisons across the nation we find criminals who return to the same cell repeatedly, committing the similar crimes again and again, taking it as a profession or habit. Ask them, talk to them – they will reveal a dark zone in their life mutilated either by teachers or by parents. No one is born here as a criminal. Then who makes him so?

The research studies show that the theory of corporal punishment was an ineffective discipline strategy with children of all ages and it is often proved to be dangerous. The punishment of such kind leads to create anger, resentment and low self-esteem. It teaches them violence and revenge as solutions to problems and perpetuates itself, as children might imitate what the adults, especially their teachers are doing.

About 22 percent of the school-going children drop out due to corporal punishment. These victims do not try to report the issue and suffer in silence — damn the draining of relationship values.

What the Law says

A Public Interest Litigation was filed by Parents Forum and Meaningful Education (AIR 2001 Del 212), challenging the provisions of the Delhi School Education Rules 1973 providing for corporal punishment to a student. But the Division Bench of Delhi High Court held that corporal punishment was not keeping with a child’s dignity. It is cruel to subject a child to physical violence in school in the name of discipline or education. It was held that inflicting physical punishment on a child is not in consonance with his or her right of life guaranteed by Article 21 of Indian Constitution. “Just because child is small he or she cannot be denied of these rights…. Even animals are protected against cruelty. Our children are surely cannot be worse off than animals” said the High Court. The Court also said that there had been instances where children have been abused in schools causing grave injuries internally and externally to them on account of their innocent pranks, mistakes and mischief.

The Rule 51 is replaced in Tamil Nadu with a provision recommending every child to be given an opportunity to learn error of his or her ways through corrective measures while making it clear that the school shall not cause mental or physical pain to the child. Two weeks before the State of Jharkhand also joined hands with other States in banning Corporal punishments. Goa government has passed Goa Chidren’s Act in 2003 banning corporal punishment.

The Supreme Court of India banned this type of rough treatments of children in schools in 2000. But Kolkotha incident proves that the negations of the verdict still exist here.

Learning the facts

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has suggested a code of regulations on the conduct of teachers in schools. A standout feature of the code is a total ban on corporal punishment. So far, only six Indian states have banned the cane in schools. Corporal Punishment is just another form of physical violence and has no place in an enlightened society.

Apparently different from ‘our good old days’ today’s children face a lot of stress and pressure in a world of competence. In such a context if he is subjected to abuses by the so called supporters, his teachers, he falls apart to the ‘flight or fight response. This was the

finding of the NCPCR on their mission after Rouvanjit Tawla’s suicide. So they asked the Centre to draft model rules and guidelines for Section 17 of the Right of the Child to Free and Compulsory Education that prohibits corporal punishments. They also suggested the Government the denial of increment to teachers who inflicts corporal punishments.

Senior HRD Ministry officials said that while CBSE has generalized guidelines against any kind of corporal punishment, the board feels that specific instructions need to be given to schools to ensure accountability in case of lapses by authorities. CBSE had written to all schools affiliated to it on the issue and reiterated its stand against corporal punishment in 2008. The board had suggested that teachers should instead be encouraged “to adopt alternative strategies to corporal punishment” and ensure a ‘fearless’ environments to students.

Needs of the hour

“I have been witnessing such verbal gymnastics since my entry into the field.”, responded that media girl. “Nothing is going to happen Sir, it will remain in the paper. No child is going to report it to his parents, if so no parent will be dared to ask the school authorities fearing of cornering their child.”

“The tedious 9 to 4 time schedule also has a significant part in this regard”, remarked a teacher, “it is hard for both teachers and students. Dealing with curricular subjects we don’t get enough time to have a bond with our students personally. In the school time- table there should be some periods for such refreshments. It is good for both.”

Another suggestion was to set the class according to the grasping power of the students. “If those who have less grasping power were put in one class, we can emphasize the needed portions without wasting the time of those who have already understood the thing. Then, there won’t be any room for unnecessary ‘complexes’ also among children”.

One senior teacher opened up herself that certain refreshing courses conducted outside hold some good impacts on the teachers. “We get some fresh environment and new concepts out of it which we are very eager to implement in the class as soon as we finish attending the course. The same gets drain off after say, one week with the overloads we get other than the teaching job. If such motivational and updating classes by psychologists or educationalists were conducted frequently, it will be an add-on for a new behavioral pattern among us. After all, we all love our children, but time is the villain there.”

Teachers are role models for still a big segment of students. It is evident in every child a tendency to imitate his teacher in all walks of life.  So if he grew perceiving the violent and rude reactions of a teacher, we cannot expect him to stand with peace. Discipline is totally an internal affair. But imposing it by force is an external process. If we want a community tolerant and peace-loving, basically humane, we really need a change right from the kindergarten. The change needed is with the teachers – they must understand the gravity of their profession – to mould better human beings through knowledge and life experiences regardless of his IQ, cast, creed or his parent’s purse or chair.

(The author is a  Member of  Bhavans Thrissur Kendra Committee,  Kerala)