Students at edu panel meet seek introduction of moral classes

VELLORE: An eight-member high level committee headed by retired New Delhi High Court chief justice D Murugesan was taken aback when students said that teachers should be given permission to punish students if the present student belligerence against teachers was to end.

Similarly, students also demanded that the syllabus include lessons on sexual molestation and the ensuing punishment to reduce such crimes. The students also demanded inclusion of moral classes to bring about a change in their attitude.

Girl students who spoke during the hearing demanded that they be taught self-defence while others demanded that they be allowed to use the library daily instead of once a week as was followed now. Appointment of permanent staff to clean toilets in schools was another demand while another student demanded that schools be provided with fans and lights.

That the meeting was expected to be different was made clear when Murugesan demanded that students be made to occupy the front rows as officials had pushed them to the back of the hall in the Vellore Collectorate placing officials, academics, school heads and teachers in the front rows. The change took place immediately.

When TN Vocational Teachers Kazhagam president SN Janardhanan sought introduction of vocational education at higher secondary level in all schools, committee members wanted to know why polytechnics existed. Janardhanan explained that polytechnics were not as extensive as school and said that of the 8 lakh who passed Class 10 only 6 lakh made it to Class 12.

“This will enable reduction of dropouts and also provide vocational students with an avenue for income,” he said. Though introduced in 4,300 schools in 1978 subjects were closed when the concerned teacher retired, he added.

The meeting included participants from Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur, Ranipet and Kallakurichi districts. This was the seventh zonal meet and the final would be held in Chennai shortly, Murugesan said.