To protect children from anti-social activities and bad habits, it is very essential to give them moral education, First Additional District and Sessions Judge Sadalagi has said.
Speaking after inaugurating a workshop on the rights of children organised by the District Legal Services Authority, the district administration, the Police Department, the Women and Child Welfare Department and the District Bar Association here on Monday for hostel wardens and non-governmental organisations and students, he said that the children are the future of the nation and if they fail to follow the right principles, the country would be in deep trouble. So it is the responsibility of teachers and parents to provide moral education to children.
To protect children from cultivating bad habits and make them good citizens, the government has introduced Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. Parents and teachers should study these laws in detail and protect the children.
They should also spend at least two hours in a week to provide them moral education and create awareness on the importance of adhering to culture, he added.
Though the government is providing ample facilities to ensure education to all children, it should concentrate on providing them jobs after they completed their education as they may indulge in illegal or anti-social activities if they fail to get jobs to earn a livelihood, he said.
Davangere Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer A. Ashwathi said that parents, teachers, NGOs and hostel wardens should have in-depth knowledge about laws on protecting the rights of children.
Compared to other nations, protection of children’s rights in India is very low. So it becomes the responsibility of everyone to protect children’s rights.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Padma Basavantappa said that children and others should make use of helpline number 1098 to lodge complaints about atrocities on children and get necessary help from the authorities concerned.
