My World

The ministry of human resource development will roll out a host of digital initiatives including free online courses from top institutions, a national e-library for students and a dedicated portal to help students make informed choices about higher education, HRD minister Smriti Irani said on Thursday.

Central universities, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) will soon start offering massive open online courses (MOOCs), or courses offered on the internet with unlimited participation, free of cost, Irani said in her first press conference after joining office.

The e-library, which will be launched next year, will allow students to access content from premier educational institutions.

The online portal, 'Know Your College', will be a repository of information related to all universities and colleges and will allow students to have their grievances redressed in case they have been misled by an institute or college.

The HRD minister also announced that a national and state-level deliberation on the new education policy will begin in January next year. She did not comment on whether the new policy would incorporate the four-year format for undergraduate courses, but said, "During the national, state and regional level debates we will discuss how the courses should be structured." Irani also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction with children on the Teacher's Day on September 5 was viewed by almost 9.5 crore students across 8.5 lakh schools in the country.

The HRD minister evaded questions on whether a similar exercise be held on the Children's Day on November 14, the birthday of the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. "You will have to wait for it till the time comes," Irani said.

Nitya Ramaswami, Director, Sabari Indian School, Dubai, is a care-giver who leads by example. “Children keep me spirited,” she laughs. From teacher to Principal to Country Head of a chain of 700 pre-schools and 60 high schools all over India, in Nepal and in Singapore, to her present position with Sabari Indian School, Nitya’s experience in the field of school education is vast. She strongly believes that only those with innate warmth and love for children can make a positive impact as teachers. PSE (Personal Safety Education) is a subject very close to her heart.

“Every child has the right to a full and productive life,” she begins. “As elders it’s our duty to ensure that our children grow up in an environment of security and happiness.” Of course, children are vulnerable and as adults we need to protect them.

Why sit back?

But what when protectors themselves turn perpetrators of crimes against children? Nitya nods. “‘Spare the rod and spoil the child’ is an adage that’s obsolete. Child abuse is legally prohibited all right, but there are still a few among us who think if punishment is inflicted to discipline a child, it is fine. Sadly, in the case of parents, most of the time, they mean well, but their rigidity with wards continues.”

Though laws against physical, psychological, and sexual abuse of children are quite stringent, its course is rather slow. “Exactly, so why sit back and wait for change? We need to be proactive.” As an educator whose campaign for child safety was well received at the symposium on Best practices in Early Childhood Education, in Brazil, a couple of years ago, where she was elected as the India representative of OMEP (Organisation Mondiale Ecole Preschoolare) — a World Organisation — Nitya knows what she’s talking about. And with the cooperation of her former CEO, HR head, and principals of schools, she introduced a series of policies, processes and procedures to safeguard children in schools. At present at the school in Dubai, she implements a programme called ACT.

Abuse and impact

“ACT is an acronym for Adults and Children Together. If all adults and care-givers of children are trained in PSE, awareness about child neglect and abuse will be more. Similarly we ought to teach children to protect themselves.” ACT also covers other aspects, such as positive parenting, effective teaching-learning environments, health and nutrition and brain-based learning and is meant for the 0-18 age group. Zero? “Of course, even babies and toddlers aren’t spared from abuse,” she says.

Nitya’s sojourn in the field of education began in Chennai, with the PSBB group of schools in 1978. “Imparting knowledge is different from helping children to protect themselves,” she avers. “I have seen children with unexplained burns and bruises and those displaying behavioural extremes such as aggressiveness and withdrawal. In India, there was this girl child who was sexually abused by her granddad and was afraid to go home. I found her crying in the rest room one afternoon. A Junior KG child had been burnt with a hot ladle by the mother! Such gruesomeness makes you shudder.”

According to Nitya, mental or emotional abuse — criticising, belittling, not giving love and support — affects a child’s sense of self-worth, and sexual abuse is sheer exploitation of a child or adolescent. Does she believe that only the girl child is vulnerable? “That’s a misconception. Both boys and girls are equally vulnerable to sexual abuse. Child abuse, especially sexual abuse, isn’t a recent phenomenon. It has been going on for eons, but much of it is covered in a shroud of secrecy.” UNICEF, child rights movements and NGOs work diligently in these crucial areas.

Include PSE

Nitya strongly advocates the inclusion of PSE in school curricula. “And ACT, which includes PSE, will help build a positive school culture, and foster respectful relationships.” Her training programmes have made children express themselves frankly and fearlessly. “Teachers and parents gain awareness. I’ve had parents breaking down during these sessions as they understand that though their intention was noble their actions weren’t. Teachers become proactive, share their positive experiences and begin to realise that positive behaviour management yield positive results.”

Will ACT be available for other schools? “Yes, we wish to take PSE as part of ACT to all schools, government and private. Be it the home, the school or the world outside, striving for an environment that’s abuse-free for children is our aim,” says Nitya.

Nitya Ramaswami can be contacted at nitya5558@gmail.com