Idukki district
This beautiful High range
district of Kerala is geographically known for its Mountainous Hills and Dense Forests
Small
and marginal farmers are predominant in the district. However, in High land
areas there are large holdings of plantations of tea, cardamom etc. owned by
corporate bodies and private agencies. Idukki is the second largest place in
Kerala where the most number of scheduled tribes and tribal ambiguities exist.
Total population - 11,29,221 Nos.
Child population - 1,34,177
Literacy Rate - 8,82,458 (88.69%)
Schools
State syllabus - 486
CBSE schools 15
Kendriya Vidyalaya - 1
ICSE schools -
4
Total - 506
Child Welfare Committee for Idukki district
Child Welfare
Committee (CWC) for Idukki district is one among the first three CWCs Government
of Kerala constituted under section 29 of JJ(Care and Protection) Act 2000Act No. 56 of 2000)
Powers of Committee
As
per the Section 31(1)
of JJ Act The Committee shall have the
final authority to dispose of cases for the care, protection, treatment,
development and rehabilitation of the children as well as to provide for their basic needs and protection of human
rights.
Invoking the powers of the CWC for protection of Human
rights CWC Idukki has been attempting to mould the District into a Child Friendly District by
undertaking the following programmes:
1. Eradication of Child Beggary
2 Abolition of Corporal Punishment on
Children in schools
3 Abolition of Child Labour
Programme for Eradication of Child Beggary
In the year 2006 we set a goal that child beggary in the district has to
be eradicated .We launched
the programme with high esteem. The programme was inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister
for PWD Sri P.J Joseph who hails from
our district.
With the
coordination of police and orphanages combing operations and rehabilitation of
children engaged in beggary was made and with constant vigil by the CWC still
we keep our district free of Child beggary.
Programme for Abolition of Corporal Punishment on
Children in schools
It was during the preparatory
session of CRC Reporting convened by the Social welfare department of Kerala,
CWC Idukki noticed that so far no efforts were taken any where in our state to
end corporal punishment in schools and there was a direction issued by National
Commission for Protection of Child Rights to take steps to put an end to the
same. When my self take up the issue in
the said meet most of the participants even laughed at me and opinioned that
such things are not practical in Indian situations. I take it as a challenge
and raised the issue in the CWC sitting.
The committee taking inspiration from Magsaysay award
winner Padmasree Dr. Mrs. Santha Sinha,
Honorable Chairperson National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, in its sitting held on
05.11.2007, formulated a pioneering programme called “Bala Sauhruda Jilla, Idukki
2008” or “Child friendly District Idukki 2008” for the making Idukki a Child
Friendly District. With specific goal of
Abolition of Corporal Punishments from the Schools of Idukki District.
Adv.Sabu Thomas, Member CWC Idukki, was directed to coordinate the program
Our Strategies
1.
A high profile launching
of the programme
 |
The Programme was inaugurated on the 12th January 2008
by Honorable Chairperson for National Commission for Protection of Child Rights,
Padmasree Dr. Santa Sinha in a meeting held at St.Joseph’s College,
Arakkulam,Thodupuzha. The audience consisted of 500
representatives from 300 Schools and 3 Teachers Training
Colleges
2. Seminar on Child Rights and Juvenile
Justice Act
The Seminar on
Child Rights and Juvenile Justice Act was conducted at the same venue and on
the same day. It was inaugurated by Hon: Justice R.Basant, Kerala High Court
Judge . The Inaugural session of the seminar was presided over by Smt. Mary Joseph, Additional District and
Sessions Judge. The Keynote address was delivered by Sri Roshi Augustine M.L.A. Sri.U.V.Sri. Kumar, Principal Magistrate,
Juvenile Justice Board felicitated the gathering
Sri.C.M.Yoshit,
Ex-Joint Director, Social Welfare Department , Sri.P.Pratapan, Joint Director
Social Welfare Department. Sri. Siji Antony, Lecturer, St. Joseph
3
Repeated communications to Head masters
The programme coordinator wrote several letters to the
head masters of the schools explaining them the law regarding the corporal
punishment and explaining that causing physical pain may amounts to offence
under sections 323 and 324 IPC and section 23 JJ act and by resorting corporal
punishment teachers turn to be criminals and they will be prosecuted if found
doing so.
4.
Suo moto Actions initiated by the committee
CWC Idukki received information that certain
Managements were stubbornly sticking on to corporal punishment, despite the
warnings issued by the committee and the awareness of consequences generated by
the media. CWC Idukki had at the beginning initiated action against four
schools, based on complaints via phone calls and other sources regarding
incidents of corporal punishment under Sub Rule(2) of Rle 12 of the Kerala
JJRules 2003 (which rule is not there
in Central model rules) and gave wide publicity to the same.
But
all SHOs reported that there was corporal punishment in the schools before but
at present there is no incidence in any schools. Even though there was no
prima-facie evidence of child right violation we issued summons to all the
principals of the said schools and warned them of dare consequences. Last year
when we had got a written complaint about an incident of corporal punishment we
initiated action against one school principal
and police registered a case. The magistrate took cognizance and when
the said principal was arrested and brought before the court he was remanded to
judicial custody for 15 days and he got bail only after 15 days. We narrated
said case to all and obtained under taking in writing that they will see that
no teacher in their school resort to corporal punishments. The committee still
keep constant vigil on the matter.
6.Actions
taken by others
A. Taking
inspirations from the initiatives made by CWC, Community police system
in Thodupuzha set up complaint boxes on all schools in the Thodupuzha Municipal
area so as to enable the school children to make their complaints regarding the child right violations.
The said matter was also
reported by various news papers including Malayala Manorama daily with a caption, “Children too can make
complaints, Police boxes at schools
B. District Superintendent of Police Idukki at the request
of programme coordinator of Bala
Sauhruda Jilla put up such complaint boxes in all schools in the district.
C. Department of education at district level
arranged a seminar for teachers and warned the teachers of dare consequences if
corporal punishment is again resorted.
D Many school managements also have arranged seminars for the
teachers inviting
child welfare committee
members regarding positive discipline techniques.
E. Seminars for children on child rights were also organized
with the help of NGOs etc.
F. Media persons Started to report any incident of corporal
punishment in any schools came to their notice with high importance
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Results Achieved
1.
Effect of high profile launching was wide
media coverage
The most
spectacular result of the Bala Sauhruda Jilla Idukki 2008 Programme was the vigor
with which the media and school managements took up the debate on corporal
punishment in schools. Complaints from teachers and students have been flowing
in along with the comments, clarifications, enquiries, praises and protests
from school managements, media persons, authorities and literary figures. The
mass interest and dialogue generated, however contentious, is paving way for
the realization of child friendly schools in Idukki District
2.
Mass awareness
The propaganda
generated and actions taken by the by the committee started to give immediate
results .Most of the teachers of the schools in the district gave up the rode
3. Positive discipline techniques
Many stared to resort positive
discipline techniques such as introduction of minus mark system for
indiscipline and plus mark for better performance. Frequent communication
with parents , building personal
relation with children etc. One of the incident in which principal of Model
residential School for tribal students
at Painav Smt. Meenakshi
punished herself by beating
herself in the school assembly for an incident of theft by the student and the
child apologized to the principal later turn to be a big event during our
campaign . The said incident was celebrated by even national and international
media. Even Chair Person of NCCRP wrote letter to her
appraising her and the said way of disciplining crowned her with Jain foundation
award.
4. Children
started to be more confident, hard working and responsible
5. Media persons started to bring out every
single incident of corporal punishment in schools
Failures
and hurdles
1.
Many parents and teachers still believe that rod is the way
for discipline
2.
Teachers started threatening the children and to shout at
them
3.
Police are trying to settle the cases and not registering FIR.
Special Juvenile police system is not there often the trained persons are
changed to other corps
4.
There is at present no regular mechanism to open the
complaint boxes and to take regular actions
5.
Child welfare committee is not supported by the government in
any way. There is still no infra structure or staff support or financial
support
6.
When actions are initiated elders win over the children and
fail them
7.
People complains that law is implemented only in our district
8.
There is no coordination among the stake holders
Suggestions
1.
Strengthen CWCs by proper support and amendment of laws and
Rules.
2.
Strengthen Juvenile police unit. Direct recruitment and no
transfer to other corps.
3.
Make child rights the part of curriculum from LP level itself.
4.
Make a stricture that the message that Corporal Punishment on
children is an offence be printed on the first page of all notes book or books
for children
5.
Training be given to teachers
6.
Warning shall be given by CBSE, ICSE, and State department that
disciplinary action including
cancellation of license will be taken against schools resorting to corporal
punishment and dismissal from service if
teachers resorting the same.
7.
Child lines be
employed to deal with complaint boxes
8.
Compulsory meeting of DC, SP, DD education and members of CWC
and JJ Board be held every three month
9.
Rules have to be incorporated with provisions for compelling
police to register cases upon direction by CWCs and providing procedure for
actions for protection of child rights
Conclusion
We had nothing with us no
office, no staff, no funds, no remuneration. But we had faith that we can achieve
it, we had determination to achieve it. We had confidence to achieve it.
We don’t claim we have done great things and achieved
great things but we attempted to carry out the duty cast upon us.We followed
strictly the procedures prescribed in the Rules
If the government
supported us; if police was more efficient we might have achieved it. Still we
can say we attempted it and it starts to work and definitely it
is possible in India
Adv.Sabu Thomas
( Former Member CWC Idukki and
Program coordinator “Bala sauhruda Zilla Idukki” )
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