From problems on buses and 10 periods a day in school to drug abuse and career guidance, a host of issues faced by children came up for discussion at Samvadam, an awareness programme organised by the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights for select school students in the district, on Saturday.
Aimed at making children aware of their rights, the programme was inaugurated by Mayor V.K. Prasanth in the presence of commission chairperson Shobha Koshy. Following this, Kerala Child Rights Observatory State Programme Officer Maneesh M. Nair took a class for children.
The students were divided into four groups where they discussed the problems faced by them. The points that came up were then presented by one representative from each group in front of a panel comprising representatives from various government departments such as police, Transport, Excise, Health, Education, and one from Childline too.
The most frequent complaint that came up was the poor treatment meted out to them on buses, particularly on private buses. From being made to run behind buses and not being dropped off at bus stops to being denied students’ travel concession, there were bad experiences galore that the children had to narrate. The students were told to file written complaints with details of errant buses to get their problems addressed.
One student said her group felt that being asked to wear headscarves though it caused them discomfort amounted to denial of their rights.
Dismissing students for using drugs without giving them a chance to kick the habit through rehabilitation or counselling amounted to destroying their future, they said.
Under pressure
The children complained of being under pressure to achieve parents’ dreams without any consideration for their interests and talents.
They also complained of not getting career counselling, and being put down by parents and teachers on not doing well in exams.
They brought up the subject of children complaining of being hit parents and even exaggerating them and bringing in the authorities for action.
When higher secondary students’ complained of being made to sit through 10 periods a day, they were told of plans to reduce the number of periods by having one-hour classes. Students who raised the point that lack of physical punishment was creating indiscipline were told it was not a simplistic issue, as such disciplining would invite parents’ wrath.
Corporal punishment
Over 100 cases of corporal punishment had come to Childline’s notice in the past one year from the district alone.
The children were urged to say ‘no’ when faced with sexual harassment or being used as carrier of drugs. Lack of toilets, drinking water, unequipped libraries, and heavy school bags also came up during the discussion.
Commission members Fr. Philip Parakatt and Babu N. and Registrar S.H. Jayakesan were present.
The ideas presented during the discussion will be compiled and submitted to the government, Mr. Jayakesan said.
