Despite a Blanket Ban, Corporal Punishments Rise in Government and Private Schools in Anantnag District

CWC Anantnag writes to CEO Anantnag to implement Child Protection Policy in schools
CEO Anantnag writes to all Government and Private school heads in Anantnag District to implement Child Protection Policy in schools

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag: Despite a blanket ban and repeated circular instructions issued by the Education Department, corporal punishment of students is still on the rise in schools in Anantnag district.

According to official sources, there is an alarming increase in incidents of corporal punishment in both government and private schools reported across the district. The matter is of grave concern and the government should act on it.

In an order issued by the CEO Anantnag to all government and private school heads, including ZEOs and headmasters, it reads:
“Please find enclosed herewith a communication received from the Child Welfare Committee regarding the alarming increase in incidents of corporal punishment in both government and private schools across the district. The matter is of grave concern and demands immediate attention and action.

A committee has formulated a comprehensive Child Protection Policy in accordance with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Guidelines. The policy is annexed along with a mandatory declaration form to be signed by all teaching and non-teaching staff after reading and understanding the policy contents.

You are, therefore, requested to ensure immediate dissemination of the enclosed Child Protection Policy to all staff under your control and obtain signed declarations from each staff member. Strict compliance with the provisions of the policy is to be ensured. Furthermore, a compliance report along with duly signed declaration forms may be furnished to this office within 10 days positively from the date of issuance of this communication,” reads the order.

However, the CWC Anantnag has written a letter to the Chief Education Officer Anantnag to implement the Child Protection Policy in schools following multiple cases of corporal punishment being reported from various schools across the district, both government and private.

Meanwhile, sources told Arising State that besides facing corporal punishment from the teachers, several victim students are silenced by fear and threatened not to share the incidents with their parents.

In most cases, parents remain uninformed about the abuse faced by their kids in their schools, and with the passage of time, the issues are put under the carpet by the concerned management of the schools, sources said.