Corporal punishment
Teachers and
parents are needed
to fully comprehend that they should actually resort
to meaningful
alternative means for correcting minors
Commonly practiced on minors, corporal punishment is intended to cause physical pain in order to deter the punished from repeating the same mistake or behavioural error again. However, compared to other countries, this form of punishment is given to children in our country to a worrying extent both at formal and informal levels at home by teachers and parents. Flogging, branding, spanking and paddling are the commonly usual methods in this punishment. Nevertheless, ramifications of such punishment can also be detrimental in the case of minors leading them to suffer from unbearable pain, humiliation, low self-esteem, deep psychological trauma and long-term distress.
Though Bangladeshs High Court in 2011 declared all types of corporal punishment in schools illegal and unconstitutional following a litigation to stop cruel punishment for children, but in many parts of the country its still rampant. Like many other passed laws, this ban too is in need of proper implementation.
Strict monitoring alone cannot ensure it. We need our teachers and parents to fully comprehend that they should actually resort to meaningful alternative means for correcting minors. The ministry of education may have banned such form of punishment in schools after upsurge of different incidents but, its recurrence, especially in rural Bangladesh and in many madrasas clearly shows that akin to minors, their guardians too need counselling in this regard.
Not long ago, the media became abuzz on the incident surrounding a child breaking his hand due to severe corporal punishment at Joypurhaat. We were appalled, but even more appalling was that the High Court ruling relating to corporal punishment is still not known to many senior citizens, teachers and parents residing within the country. We must ensure that the ruling is appropriately communicated through proper channels to all those who are unaware of it.
Most importantly, children are entitled to care, security and responsible upbringing. They should be treated with respect for their person and individuality and should not be subjected to corporal punishment or any other humiliating treatment. They are likely to get derailed due to peer pressure or other circumstances, but to prevent that there are many other proven tactics which are more effective and beneficial than causing physical pain.
The education ministry is expected to inspect while taking disciplinary action against unlawful teachers but also to deliver training on non-violent and effective means to manage minors. We must all take a proactive role in
protecting children from abuse, building their sense of self-worth and teaching them peaceful and constructive role to build society.
