Let skeletons tumble out [September 01, 2013]

Let skeletons tumble out

Two events over the last week have shaken the whole society--one, Green Valley School case and two, judgement on “Delhi’s December Rape case”. Earlier event left an indelible blot on “teacher-student” relations; thereby killing many young souls even before they learnt to dream of future; and other development, contrastingly, has infused life to criminal and their antics in letting a rapist-cum-killer get away with mild punishment. Each discerning citizen would have varying views on ways and means of dealing with juvenile but in such rarest of rare case, rapist/killer must not go scot-free. 

Least to say, it inflicts immeasurable pain to think of a teacher molesting own students but such recurring reality in Arunachal Pradesh greeted with deafening silence across the policy makers is bewildering. Condemnation is a hackneyed ritual that discerning citizens endured and continues to do so.The society in general and police in particular have named and shamed the perpetrators in Tawang, Deomali, Joram etc with no positive outcome. Evident as it is now, deterrants must be made stronger to arrest repeat of any such diabolical act.

Besides, more policemen and more specialised women police station, it is incumbent upon decision-makers to put system, structure and policy beyond punitive measures they keep ranting about.  We cannot let life after life be engraved with psychological scars.  To begin with, these young victims must be provided professional help to restart their lives. Government must institutionalise atleast a professional counselling centre in each district.To think of a state with no professional rehabilitation centre or professional counsellor to handle such deft issue is worrisome. 

As gender sensitive society, realisation must dawn upon that such heinous act would discourage female gender from attending schools. As collective responsibility, we must shoulder to make school a fun place and a beautiful learning centre.

Pertinently, in the context of teacher molesting students at Joram, Deomali and Likabali, the teachers antecedent verifications must be carried out across the state. No teacher should be appointed without a character certificate from Panchayat/police. The accountability must be fixed with school management committee and stricture must be issued to private institute directing “not to appoint anyone in establishment till antecedent verification report is positive". If found violating such strictures, institute must be penalised.

Government in general but education department in particular must look into mushrooming of unregulated private schools, without meeting basic nominal criterion. Turning blind-eyes to safety, security and hygiene of growing-up children is a curse. Safety, security and hygience should and must be the priority areas. Just after the "Palin Fire Tragedy", one would recall, there were hue and cry on hygience and safety of hostels and class rooms; rules and regulations were amended and strictures were issued to follow every laid down norms to a tee. However, with passage of time, voices faded away and floating norms became the order of the day. For such over-sight, who would take the responsibilities? 

To begin change, lets accept that there are skeletons in the cupboard and its high time--for betterment of posterity-- to let these skeletons tumble out.