The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has issued Guidelines for the Elimination of Corporal Punishment in Schools (GECP), and has instructed district-level officers to ensure that all schools in their jurisdiction take proactive steps to create safe and nurturing environments for students.
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According to the Right to Education Act, 2009, corporal punishment includes physical punishment, mental harassment and discrimination. The GECP, jointly issued by the Director of School Education and the Director of Elementary Education on Friday, April 26, 2024, includes safeguarding the mental well-being of students and conducting awareness camps to familiarise stakeholders with guidelines of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for effective implementation.
Promptly addressing any complaints related to corporal punishment, extending the focus beyond eliminating corporal punishment to address any form of harassment or situations impacting students’ mental health and establish monitoring committees at each school comprising school heads, parents, teachers and senior students to oversee the implementation of guidelines and address any issues, were also part of the GECP.
Further, the Department also listed several affirmative actions against corporal punishment, including addressing difficult situations, positive engagement with children, focus on help and not punishment, rights of the teaching community and children, multidisciplinary intervention, life-skills education, creating a positive environment and mechanisms for children’s voices.
All Chief Educational Officers and District Educational Officers, both secondary and elementary, were instructed to urge all schools in their jurisdictions to familiarise themselves with the guidelines and take proactive steps.