Coming soon: A behaviour code for students

School teachers and counsellors faced with student misbehaviour that has become more difficult to handle, are working out a code that clearly lays down parameters for children and should encourage them to stay in line.

This initiative has been taken by the YB Chavan Pratishthan and is supported by the state education department which is particularly bothered by worsening behaviour patterns that is putting pressure on teachers. Some NGOs and parents were also represented at the first discussion that was held on Wednesday.

Vasant Kalpande, former chairman of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, said that since corporal punishment has been banned, teachers have been finding it increasingly difficult to make students behave properly.

"Now, the teachers can only complain to the parents and in most cases this does not help to change the child’s behaviour. We need mechanisms, such as a code of conduct, so that students learn what is expected from them and what is not acceptable," Kalpande said.

Similar codes are followed by educational establishments in the US and Europe and the panel hopes to submit its proposal to the state government soon.

The panellists described the levels of errant behaviour by students that ranged from the not so serious cases of eating between classes or talking during the instructions, to the serious instances of ragging, abuse of teachers, even smoking and drug addiction.

The group will also take the help of the police particularly on ways to deal with intolerable cases of abuse or the even more serious issue of carrying weapons to school that would endanger the safety of students.

Shailaja Mule, a school counsellor, felt that teachers should be trained to counsel students about good behaviour. "Students misbehave when teachers are unable to hold their interest in the classroom. They are cooped in the classroom for long hours. So teachers must be creative in giving lessons and be able to make it more interesting. They should also be able to take time to stay back in school, if necessary, to listen to the problems of students," Mule said.