Schools continue to mete out corporal punishment to students despite a ban.
According to Child Rights Trust Director Nagasimha G Rao, on an average at least five complaints a week from parents are received on their helplines saying their child was beaten by the teacher at school.
“Under Section 17 of Right to Education Act, corporal punishment is banned and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has laid down guidelines that schools and teachers need to follow. But all these just exist on paper,” says Rao. “Most schools in City are guilty of corporal punishment. But we can’t do anything because parents refuse to take it forward,” he adds.
“When we act on a complaint and get in touch with the schools or visit them, the school managements refuses to even hear or acknowledge us. At such times, parents either get their child admitted to another school or ask him to stay away from trouble,” he says.
Student beaten
Citing a recent incident, where they received a complaint against Pragati School in Whitefield, he notes: “A IX standard student was beaten by the teacher for failing to do the homework in good handwriting. The teacher had also torn the books. The parents complained to us and when we visited the school, the authorities refused to open the gate and let us in.”
In the absence of police complaint or intervention, school authorities, instead of taking action against the said teacher, blame the students.
“None of the teachers has been suspended though complaints have been lodged against them. We ask parents to file police complaint so that action can be taken against the school, but most refuse to do so,” says Subramanya, Co-ordinator of the Association for Promoting Social Action (APSA). APSA received three complaints in the last three months.
Complaints on the rise
Subramanya says the number of complaints has increased due to greater awareness among parents.
“Earlier, parents and children looked at a teacher beating them as part of their school experience. But now parents are aware of the effects beatings and harsh words have on their children. Though they are scared of school, they are not scared to bring the incident to light,” he says.
According to activists, some complaints received are horrifying. “We once received a complaint saying the teacher had kept two pens between the student’s fingers and pressed hard till it hurt. Another complained that his legs had been bound by a chain for not doing homework.”