Private schools have approached the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) seeking guidelines in case one child violates the rights of another.
This was among the eight issues that were discussed in a meeting with the commission on Thursday which saw the participation of teacher representatives and school managements.
The issues for discussion included violation of the rights of one child by another, use of automobiles before 18 years of age, consumption, and sale of cigarettes around school premises and misuse of smartphones and uncensored access to the internet.
In a memorandum submitted to KSCPCR, private schools have mentioned a notable rise in the case of harm caused by one child to another. These could be in the form of bullying, ragging by senior students in school, physical abuse, or addressed in a derogatory manner.
“There have been plenty of examples in the past where parents, on such incidents being brought to their notice, tend to ignore the incident or side with their own child even if the child is at fault. This is not a good development in a healthy society. Specific guidelines undermining the role of KSCPCR, school managements and parents in such instances must be laid out. Besides, a plan must be drafted to reduce the number of such incidents occurring in schools apart from counselling students on behaving well,” the memorandum sought.
Schools have sought the intervention of the commission to intermediate with the traffic police and department of women and child development to ensure there is no access to automobiles to children below the age of 18.
Stating that rage, strong dislikes and misbehavior are outcomes of unlimited access to content on the internet, which is not age appropriate, schools have also expressed concern over children having easy access to adult content and being at a risk of online sexual exploitation and threat. They have called for efficient monitoring of electronic devices that student’s access.
Better identification and penalization against violations such as sale of tobacco products around school premises or running visually appealing Hookah bars or sale of hookah products has been sought by schools.
Uniforms
Condemning the previous government over the uniforms controversy; private schools have sought authority over deciding on uniforms, no holds barred, either from the commission or the government.
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Posted in News, States
