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has added a new journalChildren in Pakistan face a variety of situation, which are distressful for them. Various types of situation can lead to distress in children, however, a few distressful issues and situations that children in Pakistan face include: Sexual Violence, Mental and physical Violence, trafficking etc. For many children around the world, violence was a regular part of the school experience. In some countries, school officials routinely used corporal punishment to maintain classroom discipline and to punish children for poor academic performance.
Half of the children who enroll in the school leave before completing class V and among them majority are girls.
Study presented to the UN General Assembly by WHO says violence against children is not inevitable, however, happens everywhere, in every country, society and across all social groups. Beating and caning is standard practice in schools in many nations. Corporal punishment was allowed in 145 countries. Only 16 countries had forbidden corporal punishment at home and around 100 lacked rules stopping it in schools.
Punjab banned corporal punishment in December 2000, and issued directives in this regard to all private- and public-sector educational institutes; supposedly, strict disciplinary action would be taken against teachers in case of non-compliance.
Since 18 September 2005, on instructions by Punjab Chief Secretary notice boards has been put inside and outside all provincial public and private schools. The notice boards would highlight the messages ?No trouncing but affection? and ?Corporal punishment in all government and private schools is forbidden by the Punjab government?. The circular added that these boards should be displayed at all private (registered) educational institutions, failing which the registration of the school concerned be would cancelled.
Every morning, news from the entire world over through both electronic as well as print media, about the discipline problem in educational institutions makes some of us shudder. Especially a jerk when they run stories about unstable mental state of the principal/teacher who taken out all of their frustration on the frail body of small child. But sorry state is especially private schools given the option to uphold tradition,
The Punjab government has decided to award tougher sentences under the revised Punjab Removal from Service Act (PRSA) to teachers inflicting corporal punishment on students. The revised act provides wider options for punishing public servants involved in any kind of severe or light misconduct,
The revised version of the law would allow a wide range of actions to disciplinary committees against government employees involved in corruption, law violation, embezzlement or misconduct. The government was keen on implementing the law against corporal punishment in government schools because this had been one of the main causes of a high school dropout rate and had kept many children away from education. Misconduct has been clearly defined in the categories of Major and Minor Offences which would make it quite easy for tribunals to categorize the accused people at the initial stage and Education Department employees including teachers will be more accountable after the implementation of this law. That corporal punishment would be considered a serious offence and would fall in the category of Major Offences.
Now from here I am going to design a question mark. Corporal punishment by Section 89 of Pakistan Penal Code is allowed for children less than 12 years provided such punishment does not inflict injuries. In that case, the perpetrator can be prosecuted under Sections 323 and 325 of the PPC. But recent cases, fall under the "criminal" category, portray that this law is clearly not being implemented and so called safeguards for children are not very effective. On 7th September 2006, one of the most extreme cases of corporal punishment was reported in a Shadbagh school, when an 11-year-old boy Qaisar was beaten to death by his teacher Muhammad Aslam. But the recent incident of corporal punishment at Government Girls? High School Dry Port, speaks high of the ?dumb/deaf officials?. Gulnaz, student of class six, for not wearing proper uniform English teacher of the school named Robina allegedly beaten and broke the metacarpus of her right hand. The school administration then tried to hide the incident by forcing her to tell people, especially reporters, that her hand had been injured while playing with her friends in school. Education department formed monitoring team to investigate the matter and visited school on 3rd November 2006. But teachers hid her in a junior class so that she could not meet him. The school?s headmistress Aroosa Begum later called Gulnaz to her office and instructed her not to say anything about the incident. She also took the girl?s signature and thumb impressions on blank paper. When area Nazim on complaint inquired found school record tampered and department is reluctant to reveal findings and no stern action has been taken and teacher and headmistress still in position.
But sorry to say on 15th December 2006, was allegedly beaten up by the same teachers once again. She was taking the home economics paper when Robina beat her up in front of all her classmates. She had earlier broken the metacarpal of her right hand when she beat her up for not wearing correct uniform in October. The teacher came to her and ordered me to stand up and show her my paper. She then suddenly began to slap her for not writing her name on the answer sheet. Rubina had been cleared by the Education Department officials of the previous charges and it was the payback time for innocent kid Gulnaz. She began to cry and one of her classmates asked the teacher not to hit her. Headmistress Aroosa Begum denied the allegation. Gulnaz?s mother has appealed to the wife of the Punjab governor for justice on the International Children Rights Day that the government would deal sternly with corporal punishment in schools. Mother appealed poor children were as valuable as rich ones and shown the x-ray report that showed her daughter?s hand was fractured. According to Executive District Education Officer the inquiry report on the alleged beating had been compiled already but said could not reveal its findings right now. A normal enquiry on incidents of corporal punishment took 30 to 35 days to complete, but if the teacher or the headmistress confirmed that the girl had been beaten up, immediate action would be taken. He said he had not received a resistance from the student or her family so far. How could poor family approach the authorities when they can?t even afford food?
In short nice plot has been yarned by the Education department and victim is still target of the school administration. And might after reading this story again that kid re-victimized who is already under great pressure and threat.
The whole story depicts that at a time when the government is committed to ensuring Education for All, especially emphasizing on girl education such acts drive away girls from the very portals of education. At least, the system should be accountable, due processes of law set in motion to bring guilty to book other wise slogan ?No trouncing but affection? is simply a slogan.
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has added a new journalI'm looking for some volunteer opportunities for either a women's org. or education related org. in Pakistan. Does anyone have any contact info on an active organization in Pakistan? Pleaseee let me know!
billsly
SAllam there,I was just browsing thru and so your request for any organisation in pak. Well i m working for an organisation in UK who has got its branch in pakistan, we teach poor kids and try to generate funds from the UK. I am not sure if you would be interested in that let me know as the school is based in lahore.u can email me on [email protected]
wasallam
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has added a new journalSalam. The role of religious parties in agitation against the Toheen-e-Risalat is superb and their rallies were successful in brnging the people out of their houses on the roads to agitate for the cartoons of Holy Prophet (PBUH) in Denmark and other countries. Probably, this was a planned action which was made to hurt all the muslims of the world. On the other hand, our government remained totally unable to win the hearts of the people on this sensitive issue. They have not raised their voice on any international forum. May Allah guide them towards right path. Ameen
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has added a new journal'South Asian Seesaw: A New US Policy on the Subcontinent'
You can find this report at www.carnegieendowment.org id=16919