Lessons in shame

Sanjeev Singh Bariana in Chandigarh

THE Punjab Government has declared an all-out war against illiteracy. It has taken on the onerous task of bringing the state's children to schools. From undertaking various initiatives like starting pre-primary classes in government schools where 1.6 lakh children have been enrolled since last year, to regularly serving mid-day meal to 14.52 lakh children, to ensuring distribution of free text books in schools under the ‘Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’ scheme, the government has been adopting various measures to improve the quality of education. 

While it is trying to provide a conducive environment to 22 lakh children from disadvantaged and poor sections of society who are enrolled in the 19,293 government-run schools in the state, it has failed to provide them with a safe atmosphere in schools. This is indicated by the rising number of molestation cases of students at the hands of their teachers in schools that come under the purview of the Punjab School Education Board. 

Going through newspaper reports since past less than a year, no one could have missed the screaming headlines about alleged molestation cases of minors in Punjab. Disturbingly, more than 90 per cent of the cases pertained to involvement of class teachers or even school principals. These cases of perversion are a clear manifestation of how these people have misused their power to abuse the trust of innocent children and their parents. 

“There has been a noticeable decline in our moral values”, says Amritsar-based social activist, Swaraj Grover. "When we speak about teachers, we cannot apply the standard yardstick to them or compare them with normal citizens. Teachers are expected to be an inspiration for their students. As a little child takes his/her first hesitant steps in the outside world from safe-environs of his home, his first teachers are the support system in guiding him/her. We belong to a culture where a 'guru' could even ask for the thumb of his student. Moral science was a compulsory subject. We are not a nation where a principal connived with a teacher for abortion of a girl student as it happened in Ludhiana district recently".

Referring to various incidents of sexual violation of young students, Sangrur-based president of the Scientific Awareness and Social Welfare Forum, Dr AS Mann, says, “School staff indulging in such behaviour with their young wards is completely unacceptable. Such teachers need medical assistance for indulging in such sick behaviour. In fact, these teachers should not be allowed to come back into the fold of teaching at all. The system should have an inbuilt mechanism to identify people with such negative leanings. They should be helped to improve or should be sieved out of the system,” advises Dr Mann.  

SSP Naveen Singla, Bathinda says the registration of FIRs in all such cases should be mandatory. “Letting go of even one wrong person who has been caught indulging in the sick behaviour of molesting kids sets a wrong precedent for others. I have told police personnel that not even a single case should be ignored in this category. I strongly advise parents that they must never ignore their children if their kids start behaving abnormally like staying quiet or missing their meals or are fearful of going to school, etc. Parents should talk to them and keep open channels of communication at every level, as the kids need serious help."

Changed image of teachers

A cross-section of teachers, principals, social activists, psychologist and even parents are pretty vocal in expressing their disillusionment and shattering of the faith they had reposed in their teachers as they grew up. A 75-year-old farmer from Budhlada (Bathinda district), Sukhwinder Singh Dhillon, says, “We grew up virtually worshipping our teachers. Even today, we have the same respect for our teachers when we talk about them. Sadly, this is missing in today's generation. Our children are not respectful when they talk about their teachers nowadays. It is a disturbing phenomenon to hear such debasing language about their teachers. The images of teachers around us —holding demonstrations on the roads, facing lathi charge from the police or climbing atop water tanks — in protest do not show them in a good light." A senior teacher says, "All such incidents have put us teachers in a very bad light. Without offering any excuses, I will only request the authorities to first have a look at the ground situation and then decide on a future case of action". 

Non-serious government

Since government departments have not taken any strong action against teachers, who are sexual predators, there is no confidence or reason for students or parents to come forward and lodge any complaint if such an incident happens. According to Dr Mann, “The general practice of suspension, formality of an inquiry and no exemplary punishment to offenders have not set any example for other affected children or parents to come out and register their complaint." 

While politicians/ministers bend backwards in supporting the protesting teachers or give in to their "justified" demands of salary hike and service regularisation, they do not show equal sincerity in getting such offending staff to pay for their deeds," says Karnail Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran. 

A Jalandhar-based social activist, Pooja Khanna, says, “We have written at least twice to the DEO seeking permission to interact with students, especially about sex education, in line with the programme to revamp sex education in schools. This programme was launched with much fan-fare by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We have got no response despite repeated reminders.”

Increasing awareness among girls

There is a discernable change in outlook of girls, feel teachers and even parents. Principal of Delhi Public School, Bathinda, Arun Kumar, says "The biggest factor behind more incidents of sexual molestation coming to light was that girls have become more open and more assertive. Unlike earlier times, when most girls would have kept quiet out of fear, shame or embarrassment, now they do not hesitate in telling their parents if such an incident happens. They are not afraid anymore and even push their parents in exposing the wrongdoers, even their teachers. I feel this is a step towards transformation of our society. Girls are becoming aware about their rights under law." 

A psychologist in a public school in Patiala, Dr Jasmine Singh, says "Interestingly, I am even having boys coming to me complaining of trouble at hands of girls. They complain being bullied for submission to their wishes."

More incidents in Malwa

At least half of the 11 incidents in the state have happened in the Malwa region (four in Ludhiana and one in Patiala). Offering a plausible reason, a Ludhiana-based psychologist, Dr Rajiv Gupta, says, “One probable reason could be that girls get less time to spend with their mothers who are forced to work outside their homes.” 

Other experts differ. Devi Dayal, a social activist based in Malwa, says, “Such high number of sexual molestation cases in the Malwa region was purely a coincident. The issue is not region specific.” 

Redressal system

Reacting to The Tribune inquiries, the Punjab Education Department last week ordered installation of complaint boxes in all schools to help students who faced problem of sexual advances by any school staff. The official note also quotes some anonymous complaints from students as the main reason. Schools are required to send reports by the month-end to the department. The department is then required to forward the complaints to the Punjab State Commission for Women after every six months. Schools have been asked to organise counselling sessions at least once a month in collaboration with NGOs and social workers.

Legally speaking

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) 2012 was formulated in order to effectively address sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children. It defines different forms of sexual abuse, sexual harassment and pornography. A complaint can be filed in the home page of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) website http://ncpcr.gov.in/. It provides for special courts that conduct in-camera trial, without revealing the identity of the child, in a manner that is as child-friendly as possible. The Act stipulates that a case of child sexual abuse must be disposed of within one year from the date the offence is reported. Punishment for the offense can vary from three years to life imprisonment.

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Roll of dishonour

• A case of alleged sexual molestation was registered against a teacher of Government Elementary School, Lehra Bega (Bathinda), for allegedly molesting a 12-year-old Dalit student of Class V on May 28, this year.
• The Rampura (City) police in Bathinda district booked a private tutor on May 11 under the POCSO Act after a 16-year-old girl complained of molestation.
• The Bathinda police booked a cook, for allegedly attempting to molest a girl after the kitchen was closed on March 21.
• The DPI (Secondary Education), on May 17 this year, suspended a drawing teacher posted in Bhaini Mehraj village for allegedly harassing girls.
• The Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Mardanpur in Patiala district, was suspended after a 17-year old boy levelled allegations of sexual harassment on him on August 3, last year.
• A Class VIII student of Government High School, Johlan village, Raikot , alleged molestation by a computer teacher on May 30, this year. The Education Department has initiated a probe.
• On June 4, a Ludhiana court handed a jail term of five years to a computer teacher from Khanna under the POCSO Act for sexually harassing a girl in 2014.
• The Principal and a teacher of Government Senior Secondary School, Nathowal, near Raikot, were arrested by the Jagraon police in February this year, on allegation of rape and attempt to get abortion of a student done.
• The Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Fattu Dhinga (Kapurthala district), was beaten up by angry villagers after he allegedly molested a Class VIII student on October 31, last year. A case was registered under the POSCO Act.

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Headlined predators

• Molestation charges: Sangrur’s meritorious govt school principal booked, on the run (Nov 19, 2017)
• Molestation bid case: Teacher suspended (March 1 , 2018)
• Principal of government school near Kapurthala thrashed after girl alleges molestation (Nov 1, 2017)
• Government school teacher accused of raping a student in Punjab, held (Feb 8, 2018)
• Bid to molest student, school 'hushes up' case (Feb 28, 2018)
• 34-year-old woman teacher arrested for sexually abusing 14-year-old boy in Chandigarh (May 25, 2018)