Corporal punishment has no place in society

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A tuition teacher in Ghatkopar has been booked for allegedly hitting a 13-year-old girl student for not completing her Diwali vacation homework. This happened at a private coaching centre in Gurunanak Nagar, Ghatkopar West.

The teacher allegedly hit the student with a wooden stick, injuring her. Her father, on learning that his daughter had been hit, approached the Ghatkopar police station and got an FIR registered against the tutor.

A senior police officer said that a notice had been issued to the teacher under the due provisions of law, and she would be called in for questioning.

Our report pointed out that private classes and tuitions are not regulated. They do not have rules and guidelines like schools or colleges. Parents and tutors need to talk at the outset with the tutor and the former set boundaries so that the picture is clear.

There are even noteworthy suggestions like encouraging parents to sign a no physical or mental abuse policy with the tutor.

All private coaching classes need some kind of regulation and must have guidelines or rules for teachers to follow. Physical safety must be emphasised. The classrooms must be in a safe building. The physical environment must be good - drinking water, washrooms for children and ventilated spaces, enough light, especially during evening classes. There cannot be too many students crammed into one classroom.

Unfortunately, today our system is such that children rely heavily on tuition classes to get through school. It is almost as if ‘parallel' schools are being run, as the atmosphere is so competitive with students missing out by a single mark. That is the reality. What is immediately controllable is the tutor-student exchange and student safety.