The Hindu : National : Panel to probe complaints of corporal punishment

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 01, 2007
ePaper

National

National

Panel to probe complaints of corporal punishment

Delhi government also orders separate inquiry

New Delhi: Swinging into action after a case of stripping of a nursery student by a teacher came into light, Delhi government on Sunday announced the setting up of a permanent panel to look into complaints of corporal punishment besides ordering a separate probe into Friday’s incident.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said she had asked the Education Department to investigate the case of a 19-year-old woman teacher of a school in Mohan Nagar allegedly stripping a six-year-old nursery student and making her stand on a desk for not doing her homework.

Ms. Dikshit said the three-member committee would be empowered to investigate all such cases in future.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Shanta Sinha said the panel was awaiting a report from the government in this case. “It is not the teacher alone who should be made responsible, the school authorities should also be held responsible,” she said.

Terming the incident as “unfortunate and abuse of child rights,” Ms. Sinha said the Commission had sent a reminder to State governments to submit the action taken report on the guidelines to deal with corporal punishment. “This incident is not an isolated one and we are worried that such an incident is recurring,” she said.

The victim would be brought before the Child Welfare Commission (CWC) on Monday. Police said the teacher had studied only up to class 12 and did not have formal training. The Education Department was asked to take action against the school. Arrested on Saturday, the teacher was freed on bail. — PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National