CNI bans 'corporal punishment' in all its schools

The suicide of a 12-year-old at one of its schools has led the Church of North India (CNI) to outlaw corporal punishment and rethink on measures to discipline children.

Rev. Ashok Biswas, the CNI Bishop of Kolkata, directed all schools under its jurisdiction to not inflict corporal punishment on any student.

The decision has come in the wake of La Martiniere School student Rouvanjit Rawla's death. Rouvanjit committed suicide after allegedly being "humiliated and beaten" in school.

The principal Sunirmal Chakraborty apologized for having caned the student but claimed that it had no connection with the boy committing suicide. The student's father has filed a police complaint against the principal and four other teachers.

La Martiniere is one of the oldest and the most prestigious institutions in the city managed by the Church of North India.

Following the embarrassment and widespread criticism over the incident, CNI asked all its schools to get rid of corporal punishment that includes caning, slapping and others that are banned by law.

The Church also is in the process of installing more priests as Chaplains to conduct assemblies in schools. In addition to that, priests will also conduct value education classes across its schools in the state.

"Now, we have to orient our teachers to win the confidence and respect of the children. In future, we can assure that their will be no such incident," said Rev Sukhen Biswas, an executive council member of the CNI Kolkata Diocese.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has conducted a probe and has called for changes in methods used to discipline children.

However, Herod Mullick, general secretary of Bongiyo Christiyo Porisheba, the umbrella organisation of 700 Christian missionary schools in Kolkata, says corporal punishment is needed to maintain discipline.

"Our schools are coveted by parents because of the discipline we imbibe in children. And you cannot inculcate discipline without some punishment," he says.

"Corporal punishment is a corrective measure. Most of our former students are thankful to teachers who had slapped them and shown them the right way in life," Mullick was quoted saying by a news daily.

The Supreme Court banned corporal punishment for children on December 1, 2000. Also Clause 17 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 states that no child shall be subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment under any circumstances whatsoever.