These committees, comprised of key stakeholders such as school heads, parents, teachers, and senior students, have been entrusted with the responsibility of swiftly addressing any complaints related to corporal punishment and investigating whether such incidents have resulted in mental harassment for students.
The Tamil Nadu school education department has taken significant strides towards eliminating corporal punishment within schools by mandating the formation of school-specific monitoring committees. These committees, comprised of key stakeholders such as school heads, parents, teachers, and senior students, have been entrusted with the responsibility of swiftly addressing any complaints related to corporal punishment and investigating whether such incidents have resulted in mental harassment for students.
Under the purview of the Right to Education Act of 2009, corporal punishment encompasses not only physical harm but also mental harassment and discriminatory practices. In light of this, the department has urged district education officers to maintain a vigilant watch over schools within their jurisdictions to ensure the creation of safe and supportive environments conducive to learning.
Furthermore, the state is gearing up to conduct awareness camps aimed at sensitizing stakeholders about the detrimental effects of corporal punishment, drawing upon the guidelines set forth by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The directive issued by the department emphasizes a paradigm shift towards a culture of support and intervention, emphasizing the importance of assistance over punitive measures.