Latest news with #toChildren
The Hindu
7 days ago
- The Hindu
Deviant children emerging as a social concern in Kerala schools
A large number of teachers in Kerala are alarmed over a reported rise in instances of deviant behaviour among students, especially those in higher secondary classes in government schools, and have sought steps from the Education department and the police to address the social issue. Functionaries of the Higher Secondary School Teachers' Association (HSSTA), an organisation of teachers in government higher secondary schools, claim that such incidents have recently been reported from Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, and Kasaragod, and other districts in the State as well. M. Riyas, State treasurer, HSSTA, says that a teacher at the Government Higher Secondary School, East Hill, Kozhikode, was physically attacked by a student and humiliated by his mother on August 6, in the course of a conversation to discuss his wayward behaviour. In 2024, a group entered the staff room of the Government Higher Secondary School, Pannur, and threatened teachers. Mr. Riyas says that another teacher was suspended from service recently based on a complaint by a girl student, after he spotted her copying during an examination. In 2023, the front door of one teacher's house was set on fire after he took action against a student for ragging at the Government Higher Secondary School, Puthuppady. The head of another woman teacher at the same school was smashed against a wall for intervening in a clash between students, he says. A psychologist working in the Health department, who wished not to be quoted, says that many children are found to be struggling to control themselves now. 'Too much screentime is affecting their attention span, patience, and respect for limits. Children are not used to discipline because of poor parenting. There are cases of parents being overprotective or they are not setting rules at home. Peer pressure among students and the increasing use of drugs is making the situation worse, as these can lead to aggression and poor decision-making. Without strong guidance from both home and the school, children often test their limits and disrespect authority,' he says. Laws such as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act are also reportedly being misused by a section of students and parents. 'The teachers are scared that if they raise their voice or correct a child, they might face complaints, departmental action, or legal trouble. This fear has taken away the authority the teachers once had. As a result, the students are less afraid of breaking rules,' the psychologist points out. Poor attention span, impulsive decision-making, low empathy, and reduced problem-solving skills are the psychological issues they face while sleep disturbances, eye strain from excess screen time, headaches, fatigue, and health risks from substance abuse are the physical issues they encounter with, he adds. While the police has been accused of being lethargic towards the issue, there is also a demand to strengthen initiatives such as Our Responsibility to Children, a project under the Department of Women and Child Development to identify and scientifically address deviancies and other vulnerabilities of children and integrate them to the social mainstream.
The Hindu
02-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Our Responsibility to Children scheme scaled up to cover 1,227 schools
The Our Responsibility to Children (ORC) project under the Women and Child Development (WCD) department has been scaled up to cover 1,227 schools in the State. ORC was launched for early identification, intervention, and prevention of issues faced by children. When incorporated by the government into the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) of the Women and Child Development department, it covered only 90 schools. It has continued to grow since then and addresses all students, either through awareness programmes or early intervention initiatives, in the schools covered. Today, ORC has been extended to all schools where the WCD's psychosocial counsellors are appointed and is turning its attention to lower and upper primary schools for early interventions. Minister for Women and Child Development Veena George had reviewed the programme implementation recently and directed the formation of a committee to look into any change in strategies in light of the increasing and complex challenges experienced by children today. The State-level module for SMART-40 (Sensible, Motivated, Able, Responsible, Talented), a life skills training programme for 30 students facing behavioural, mental health and such issues and 10 peer mentors, under the ORC is undergoing revision. The current module, in use since 2022, is being updated to incorporate contemporary contexts and life skill requirements. Parenting sessions have been integrated into ORC to equip parents to observe and support their wards. Similarly, besides the module for SMART-i (a derivative of SMART-40), a life skills education camp for residents of child care institutions in the State, a follow-up module too has been devised to provide further support to the children. ORC also makes interventions in the community where schools involved in the project are located. A report is prepared after understanding the major challenges faced by the community and community-level interventions launched. For instance, programmes to prevent students from dropping out of school have been effective in Malappuram, Thrissur, and Kasaragod districts.
