Wielding stick lands school in trouble

Aizawl, Jun 18: The State Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has summoned the authorities of Centenary school located in the capital after one of its teachers allegedly beat up a 12-year-old Class VI student in a wielding stick.

Joseph Lalzarliana had submitted a complaint to the CWC after the boy, his nephew, had reluctantly told his parents of the ordeal he had allegedly gone through.

According to the complaint, the boy had been beaten black and blue on his hips, which resulted in a swelling causing difficulty in sitting down.

The complaint said his nephew had been subjected to corporal punishment in his school and that this was a violation of children's rights as well as a violation of existing laws.

Following the complaint, the Child Welfare Committee had hired the services of a professional social worker, whose findings prompted the CWC to take further action.

The CWC, on May 22, 2006, had sent a letter to the Principal of this school, informing him that investigations into complaints of practice of corporal punishment by the school had been investigated and that it was found that the school was indeed practising what most schools have abandoned.

Informing the school authorities that the CWC had magisterial powers over matters concerning the welfare of children, the letter further warned that the matter had been taken seriously by the Committee.

The school authorities, along with the complainant, were informed to appear before the Committee on June 20 in the same letter.

School authorities were further informed by the CWC to pay all admission and other necessary fees for the corporal punishment victim and his sibling since they could not be forced to attend the same school that had meted out such harsh punishment and that they would need to change school.

UNI