Child Rights Commission to work on banning corporal punishment

Jaipur, Aug 3 (UNI) Terming the death of a student in Udaipur as 'unacceptable', National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Shanta Sinha said here today that the Commission will soon collaborate with NCERT to form a module for teachers to stop 'corporal punishment'.

Elaborating on the issue, Ms Sinha said she was amazed and pained that such incidents like teacher caning student to death is being reported from private schools and not just government schools.

She said the Commission is in the process of collecting more such data and will soon initiate a national debate and a campaign to stop and prevent corporal punishments in schools and protect child rights.

The Commission is already in the process of collaborating with NCERT to form a 'Teachers for Child Rights Forum' to deal with such issues.

Ms Sinha, on a visit to Dungarpur area, where children from the tribal belt are being made to work in Gujarat BT Cotton fields, said at least 300 childrn have been rescued but more needs to be done, including their right to education.

Complimenting the State for making efforts in protecting child rights, Ms Sinha said Rajasthan is the only state which has the third Anganwadi worker.

She said the Commission, which came into effect from March 2007, is still in the process of collecting data on child labour and various other aspects and is keen to pick up the good points from each state.

Replying to a query, Ms Sinha said Kerala is the best state in protecting child rights as its society is outraged and shocked on seeing a child worker and this needs to be emulated by other states.

UNI