Schooling and Alternative to Violence

The classroom was pin-drop silence and the only voice in a classroom of fifty students teacher was the only one making sound delivering the lecture for that particular class. Not even a single sush from the students’ side. And the sole reason for that silence was two and a half-inch long stick inside the classroom. If silence was not maintained one student getting beaten up would make the continued silence for sure in that particular class for the rest of the year. I do not properly remember the slaps I got from teachers or even from the parents when I was at school-going age.

News of student getting beaten up till death is not very old news. The news came because a child died or got bruises or fractured hand then only came to news. But there are many students getting beaten up on a daily basis nevertheless that is not covered in the news merely because of the degree of the impact on a child’s body. The consequences of such punishment remain throughout the life of a child’s mental pictures. There have been distinctive reported cases of physical punishment in various articles and journals on the national level but where is the solution for these issues apart from blaming policies.

According to WHO every form of physical, emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or any exploitation that has direct and indirect harm on a child’s health survival, development or dignity in relation to the relationship, trust or power is defined as the abuse on the child. Since corporal punishment is a form of physical violence, Nepal abolished corporal punishment in 2018. The children, parents, and members of educational institutes are more aware of the consequences of corporal punishment. There has been increasing awareness of media, non-governmental organizations and different school associations on child rights in terms of corporal punishment.

In my recent participation on training on child safeguarding, I have found that there are similar saying in many countries that resembles our popular saying “laat ko bhoot baat le mandaina”. Corporal punishment exists in many places but only the difference is the degree of harm. In recent teachers’ training on mental health facilitated by my friend many teachers were curious to know about corporal punishment’s alternatives. They raised the point which is valid, if they do not punish  children the classroom sometimes it will be a mess. Not in all cases but some said children are taking their rights for granted and teachers do not have any options rather than let them do whatever they were doing. Or else the easiest way is to discipline them is to beat them up. If not what are the alternative of punishment in our country?

At the moment various educational institutes have recruited the counselor as a medium to reduce violence and abuse as both curative and preventive intervention for indiscipline actions in Nepal. But In many countries apart from counseling, there are certain activities to do when students go beyond the boundaries of the discipline. As shared by some of my friends, some students get to clean some parts of the school, go to the community and perform some social service to get the points they required. Some countries have animal therapy to go to stable and clean horse manure or feeding horses. I have heard of plant therapy, where a punished student helps in gardening. Some do service in the school canteen for certain hours as a punishment for going beyond the conduct that school has set. But here comes the real question that teachers and education providers are questing for alternatives of violence in our context. What are the alternatives for violence in our country? Of course not going back to violence in order to maintain discipline and making them responsible for their deeds.

Therefore, the abolishment of corporal punishment is a pretty big thing to achieve but just the abolishment might have left the situation incomplete. Because it does not provide any alternatives or solutions apart from saying stop corporal punishment. No doubt children should learn in a better environment of love and proper care but what if there are not any consequences for their misconduct or harm they have caused? How do they organize their life in terms of their growth in real life? But this issue ends with many uncertain questions such as who comes up with the plan for an alternative to violence? It is a particular school, national and international organization working for children, school associations, community or the government? Or we should go back to punishing for student’s deed in the class room or who knows if the punishment is still there within the school boundary?