The Union Ministry of Education's draft guidelines for schools on suicide prevention is a welcome step in line with the theme "Every Child Matters". The Centre has taken this initiative to enhance sensitivity and understanding of students' mental state of mind and provide support in cases of "self-harm". Part of the strategy has been to foster societal support to reduce the stigma associated with suicidal behaviour.
Understanding and respecting the mental state of students is such a crucial component of the curriculum, especially in the post-Covid phase when there were increasing fears of students facing depression and mental regression. Goa lately has seen a spate of cases where students have become victims of sexual and physical assaults, leaving students mentally scared. Recently, in separate incidents, one each in Mardol and Fatorda, teachers faced police action for molestation of pupils.
In another incident on October 2, marked as Gandhi Jayanti, where two crucial attributes of the Mahatma are on display throughout the nation -- non-violence and cleanliness -- another teacher was booked for his violent ways against a student. The incident was reported at a residential high school at Amone-Poinguinim, where the student was thrashed for failing to attend the cleanliness drive organised on that day and was later hospitalised with injuries. It is reported that the student was hit on his hands, legs and head, making him uneasy.
While the state is ready to jump onto the NEP bandwagon in a phased manner with a promise of better learning and newer teaching concepts, the environment continues to deteriorate, making it hostile and unfriendly. Surprisingly, some teachers are unaware of the laws that do not allow corporal punishment. Teachers physically punishing students is considered a violation of a child's rights and can have legal consequences, including charges that may lead to the teacher's arrest, besides facing disciplinary action from the school management. Several cases of teachers being harsh and violent have gone unreported for fear of students facing ridicule and suppression during their schooling careers.
Violent methods used at school can have a long-term effect on a child's emotional and physical being. In turn, it could lead to students inculcating these traits as they grow up. Schools are required to establish a positive climate and culture through a collaborative effort.
In the Poinguinim incident, there was no effort to understand why the student did not want to participate in the cleanliness drive. There could be a failure somewhere to teach the significance of cleanliness, propelling the child to think of it as an "arduous" task. Or there could be an altogether different reason. The government has been promoting student counsellors to understand the minds of students and remedy situations.
It's time that the education department and school management take the conduct of teachers very seriously. There has to be a continuous review process where teachers are sensitised about protocols and laws. Necessary deterrents must be set to avoid disgraceful acts that shame others in this noble profession. Allowing these incidents to pass off as isolated cases is not in the best interest of a healthy learning environment. The motto of schools in Goa must be "every child matters", in sync with the national narrative.
