The gruesome incident of a Class IX student murdering his 39-year old woman teacher in broad daylight in Chennai on Thursday has come as shocker for the schools in Kerala.
The schools are shocked, because, the attitude of the children here is not much different from their Chennai counters, according to teachers. So, the possibility of a Chennai-like incident occurring in Kerala keeps them on tenterhooks.
For instance, Kochi city, not more than 700 kilometers from Chennai, also witnessed a similar incident in one of its schools recently. It all happened when a lady teacher found a Class IX student homosexually exploiting one of his juniors.
The teacher took the matter with the principal and eventually the student was expelled from the school. Humiliated, the student decided to chop the teacher’s hand and legs, as he waited outside the school with a knife.
However, timely intervention by the parents averted a gruesome tragedy. Despite this, the shock the teacher received was so huge that it wrecked her psychologically. It took over a month for her to step out of the chilling episode.
This case was not reported in any police station and was dealt inside the school. Similarly several cases of juvenile delinquencies have been occurring every day across the State. They’re religiously hushed up.
Dr.Gracy Thomas, medical officer, Adolescence Reproductive Sexual health (ARSH) programme initiated by National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to counsel school students says children with criminal tendency need to be counseled.
“In the other case, the student was expelled without any guidance or counseling. If he was given proper counseling, such a situation could have been averted,” Dr Gracy told Deccan Chronicle.
The studies conducted by ARSH among school children, disturbingly prove 70 percent school children have a tendency to commit crime. Of them, 30 per cent commit crimes of higher grades and 70 percent of moderate grades.
ARSH accounts family problems, drug abuse, broken love affairs and influence of pornography as reasons behind criminal tendency among children. Dr.Gracy says children these days are exposed to undesirable visuals and circumstances.
“This kindles the dormant criminal tendency. And, the outcome could be really disastrous”, she warned. Superintendent of Police, State Crime Records Bureau VR Reghuvarma says what happens inside schools don’t get reported.
According to him, there’re many children in the State who’re involved in thefts, substance abuse and homo-sexuality. His version is authenticated by member Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), Kozhikode, Ms.KK Shyni.
“We’re considering 168 cases at present in Kozhikode. Majority of the cases are related to theft of bikes and chain snatching by youngsters. Earlier the region mostly witnessed political clashes involving youngsters. Now the scene has changed”, she said.
Shyni says students, these days, want to have an affluent lifestyle. “A student was caught stealing and selling a bike worth Rs 65,000 for Rs 6000! They carry deadly weapons and indulge in chain-snatching to lavish money on parties”, she said.
Additional Director of Public Instruction P.K. Krishnan said Education Department doesn’t have proper statistics about the crimes committed by students and also don’t keep a track of them.
“Many cases go unreported for a variety of reasons”, he said. Students need to be counseled on the pitfalls of substance abuse, alcohol and other vices. They also need to be convinced that it’s not the lifestyle that matters but character.
And, this could be effectively done by only by teachers since students spend most of their time at schools. But, are our teachers doing it? Psychologist Dr Mathew George believes teachers play a crucial role in provoking students. “They too need counselling,” he said.
Crime file
70 per cent of children in Kerala show “criminal tendency.” Among them, 30 per cent commit crimes of higher grades and 70 per cent, of moderate grades
Number of cases appeared before Juvenile Justice Board in 2011:
172 in Thiruvananthapuram, 149 in Kochi, 143 in Kozhikode