By IANS
Kolkata : The West Bengal government has decided to outlaw any form of punishment, physical or verbal, on students in both government and non-government schools in the state.
“Corporal punishment has always been prohibited in schools. Now, we will make sure that students are not made to suffer mental or physical torture in class. I have asked all the teachers organisations to submit a report by Sep 20, specifying the reasons for which teachers could be penalised and also the extent of the punishment,” West Bengal School Education Minister Partha De told reporters.
If any incident of physical abuse is reported, the child’s version will be given due importance, the minister said, pointing out that teachers cannot even use strong words or gestures that might traumatise a school student.
The decision was taken at a meeting Thursday to find out ways to root out fear from classrooms. The meeting was also attended by representatives from teachers’ organisations, district inspectors of schools, the president of West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBSE) and others.
The no-punishment guidelines in West Bengal were drawn-up with the help of eminent psychologists and paediatricians.
The minister has also asked all the teachers organisations to suggest how best the ban on corporal punishment can be enforced. The action plan will be framed after that.