“We need to be more receptive to the needs of the children. We have to start listening to them.”: Madras High Court
April 25, 2024 2024-07-05 9:40“We need to be more receptive to the needs of the children. We have to start listening to them.”: Madras High Court
“We need to be more receptive to the needs of the children. We have to start listening to them.”: Madras High Court
By Praneetha Shivaprasad
A single-judge bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu School Education Department to implement the Guidelines for Elimination of Corporal Punishment in Schools (GECP) provided by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The directions were provided in writ proceedings which prayed for the implementation of the guidelines as well as compensation for the usage of corporal punishment against the petitioner’s daughter in school. The court noted the increasing importance of child rights and stated that corporal punishment is never the solution to guide the child. Moreover, the court emphasized that controlling the child with unjustifiable measures will serve no purpose and do more harm than good. The court stated that corporal punishments of any form are prohibited under Section 17(1) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. The court directed not only the elimination of corporal punishment in schools but also any indirect form of harassment of children affecting the mental health of the children for which suitable remedial measures are to be provided by the Competent Educational Authorities. (7/10 W.P.No.4507 of 2024).
