This is in reference to the last week suicide committed by a young female student of Mapusa School after she was caught for copying in the examination. When she was put to shame openly in the School, she took poison for being unable to bear the unbearable humiliation.
Just as corporal punishment is banned in schools so too the “naming and shaming openly” for students caught copying should be banned though copying is wrong.
Corporal punishment was officially banned with an official decree by the last Portuguese Governador of Goa, His Excellency Vassalo e Silva, a great lover of Goa and an educationist who made Portuguese education compulsory somewhere in 1957 for any child attaining the age of 6. When he came to Goa, corporal punishment for students was rampant without any mercy. In my village it was brutally implemented in my Parochial School and also in Portuguese school where one of my Professors Eduardo D’Souza who when found guilty of breaking the Eardrum of one local student with a Boxer’s blow, the government decreed the law banning the corporal punishment.
In my school at Arpora under Fr. Mendonca as a Principal of that great School, corporal punishment was inflicted very brutally. Students found copying during the examinations were displayed like hardened criminals in every examination class and heavily caned on both the palms in addition to Zero marks in that particular subject besides being totally humiliated which affected the students mental outlook verily severely more due to the extreme humiliation. Because of this cruel punishment many students suffered physical and mental pain and unbearable humiliation that forced them into leaving not only their schools, villages and localities but Goa too. That was the sad part of our history.
The harsh punishment in schools during our time as students was tolerated because that time was different when human rights were not followed that strictly but now the time is changed. Treating a girl with shame and humiliation is not good and it is not acceptable either though her act of indiscipline is not correct.
In view of this, I feel all the heads of the schools in Goa must follow the decent, humane and civilised methods to correct the erring students.
A.Veronica Fernandes.