Indian schooling system!

Hindustan Times
New Delhi, August 31, 2007

A survey carried out this year by the union ministry of women and child
development shows nearly 50 per cent of children between the ages of 5 and
18 in 13 states across the country are sexually abused at school. And 53 per
cent say they have suffered some form of sexual abuse at school or
elsewhere.

Of the total number of sexual assaults reported, half came from Delhi
(14.77%), Andhra Pradesh (13.67%), Assam (11.78%), and Bihar (10.34%). Over
4 per cent of respondents said they had been photographed in the nude.

The highest number of sexual assaults described as “severe” were reported
from Assam (52.27%), followed by Delhi (41%), Andhra Pradesh (33.87%) and
Bihar (33.27%). Overall, 21.9 per cent of children reported “severe” sexual
abuse while 50.76 per cent reported other forms of sexual abuse.

Abdul Mabood, who runs Snehi, an NGO working in the area of child and
adolescent mental health, says children calling his helpline often report
their parents and teachers do not listen to them.

“I get 3-4 such cases every month. And the worst problem is that even if
parents take up the issue, schools refuse to take it up too,” he says.

Usha Ram, principal of Laxman Public School and chairperson of the National
Progressive Schools’ Conference, says: “Children must be taught to be aware
of their bodies, and not let anybody touch them inappropriately, like in the
private parts. Schools and parents must both train the child to report
something like this and also keep a close watch for any abnormal behaviour
in the chisld. Teachers who abuse children are mentally sick.”

The survey also brought out the wide prevalence of corporal punishment a
form of physical abuse of children in schools.

Over 65 per cent of children surveyed said they were subjected to corporal
punishment in schools. The situation in Delhi is especially scary: nearly
seven out of 10 children said they were beaten up and humiliated at school.

From the survey, government and municipal schools students appeared to be
suffering the most at the hands of their teachers. Over 62 per cent of the
instances of corporal punishment are from government and municipal schools.

(end)