State Cracks the Whip on Teacher's Cane

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, September 13

TEACHERS GUILTY of corporal punishment, beware. If the government gets to know of it, the government will step in, investigate, and punish you if it finds you guilty.
The punishment will depend on the degree of corporal punishment. It could be as trivial as a verbal warning for minor cases, but serious instances would entail a halt to increments, suspension or even dismissal.
The government’s decision is binding on state-run and state-aided schools. Private schools, too, will be given a set of guidelines, which they may or may not follow.
“We are very serious about stopping corporal punishment in schools. If we come to know about any such incident, we will take up the matter directly and take disciplinary action,” school education minister Partha De said on Thursday, after a meeting on the subject.
The minister discussed corporal punishment with representatives of his department, the directorate of school education, the primary and Madhyamik boards, the higher secondary council, district school inspectors and all teachers’ organisations. The meeting also included health department representatives, psychiatrists, paediatricians and experts on adolescent health.
The minister asked teachers’ organisations for suggestions by September 20. “We will then decide how to deal with teachers who are guilty of corporal punishment. We will set up a mechanism of monitoring such incidents and put someone in charge. We want the plan in effect once schools reopen after Durga Puja,” he said.
De urged the teachers to be particularly cautious with girls. He asked them “not to touch them under any circumstances and also make the girls aware that no one should touch them”.
The government plans to counsel both teachers and parents and explain that they should not put pressure on children. Teachers will also be taught anger management.
“Teachers should understand that instead of hitting or scolding there are scientific ways to handle an unruly child. A psychological insight into the child’s brain will help teachers to address the problem. They can also find ways of relieving stress,” the minister said. mou.chakraborty@hindustantimes.com