CHILDREN

It has been over four months now that schools in the country are shut, due to the lockdown following the COVID-19 pandemic. While there has been a big shift towards online schooling over this period, mostly through synchronous classes on platforms like Zoom or Google Meet, parents of schoolchildren have raised a red flag about the massive increase in screen time for their children when schools replaced classroom learning with online classes. The HRD ministry stepped in to assuage their fears and  announced guidelines called Pragyata, which laid down a cap on the duration and the number of sessions in…

Translated by Sandhya Raju கண்ணகி நகரில் வாகன போக்குவரத்தற்ற குறுகிய தெருவில், ஐந்து வயது குமார் (பெயர் மாற்றப்பட்டுள்ளது) அவனை விட வயதில் பெரிய சிறுவர்களின் குழுவுடன் கிரிக்கெட் விளையாடுகிறான். மதிய உணவுக்காக அனைவரும் கலைந்து செல்ல, குமார் மட்டும் தனியாக அங்கயே இருக்கிறான். தெரு ஓரத்தில் உள்ள பெஞ்சில் அமர்ந்து, அடுத்து விளையாட யாரேனும் வருவார்களா என எதிர்பார்த்து காத்திருக்கிறான். சாப்பிட போகவில்லையா என கேட்டால் "பசி இல்லை" என்கிறான். ஆனால், உண்மை அதுவல்ல - வீட்டில் நல்ல உணவு இல்லை என்பதே உண்மையான காரணம். சென்னையில் பொதுமுடக்கம் தொடங்கியது முதல் குமார் மதிய உணவு இல்லாமல் இருக்கிறான். பொதுமுடக்கத்திற்கு முன், 23ம் தெருவில் உள்ள அங்கன்வாடி மையத்தில் தான் அவன் மதிய உணவு உண்டான். அவனுக்க பிடித்த சாம்பார் சாதம் முட்டையுடன் அல்லது காயுடன் அங்கே பரிமாறப்பட்டது. கடந்த மூன்று மாதங்களாக ஆசிரியர் இல்லாமல் மூடியே உள்ளது.…

With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing closure of all educational institutions, India has seen a transition to online teaching at all levels, including in primary and secondary schools.  Predictably, it has not been a very smooth transition, however, and questions have been raised over various aspects of it:  What challenges does it pose for a schooling system that has made rare use of technology as an enabler? What are the ways in which classes are being conducted and how effective are they? Should private schools charge fees for lessons delivered online? How are schools bridging the digital divide that separates the privileged…

It was just like any other routine bike trip for Madhav (name changed) and his father as they started on their cycles that early Saturday morning. Little did they know how adventurous, and even stressful, the day would turn out to be. Madhav is an autistic teen, who enjoys cycling along with his father. This Saturday, driven by his instinct, he somehow rode away from his regular route while on the way back home after cycling for 2 hours. He had not been going for cycling for more than four months due to the COVID-19 lockdown, and that might have…

Ayesha is a 7th standard student at a Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) school at Chembur Naka. While earlier, she used to dress up and rush to school, these days, she begins her day with unread WhatsApp messages. Typically, the messages contain educational video links, homework assignments, and activities sent by her teachers in subject-wise WhatsApp groups. Ayesha watches the videos to understand a concept, completes assignments in her notebook, and uploads pictures on the appropriate WhatsApp group. The messaging app, previously used by her mother to stay in touch with friends and family, is a substitute for Ayesha's…

On the narrow and traffic-free roads of Kannagi Nagar, five-year-old Kumar (name changed) plays cricket with a group of boys. Most of them are older to him. As they disperse and leave for their respective homes at lunchtime, Kumar stays back, all alone. Sitting on a small bench by the side of the road, the frail boy waits for new company to play with. When asked if he is not going home for lunch, he shrugs, “Pasi ille (I am not hungry).”  The truth, however, is different -- there is no good food at home. Kumar has been skipping lunch…

Watched Bulbbul? The film, released in OTT recently, throws light on the all-pervasive male violence that existed a few decades ago and continues even today. Set in a fantastical background, the film is heart-rending, as it highlights the disastrous consequences of a deeply entrenched misogynistic and feudal outlook. But if you think that the film is just an anachronistic fictional tale, you couldn’t be more mistaken.  Consider this report from about a fortnight ago, in which at least five minor girls at a shelter home in Kanpur – who were being tested for COVID-19 – were found to be pregnant.…

The recently released Tamil film on OTT media, ‘Ponmagal Vandhal’,  draws attention to the issue of increasing incidences of child sexual abuse and ends with a strong message about Childline 1098 as well as POCSO, timing well with the increase in child abuse during the lockdown period.  With studies (Child Abuse Study 2007 by Government of India) showing that 1 in 2 children in India experience some form of sexual abuse, it is critical that measures for prevention of child sexual abuse be taken up not just by the government but also by other stakeholders at the ground level, which…

Child Sexual Abuse has profound consequences for the child. It is known to interfere with growth and development and has also been linked to numerous maladaptive health behaviour and poor social, mental and physical health outcomes throughout life. As adults, the abused face increased risk of domestic violence later in life, and could themselves be prone to violent behaviour and committing child sexual abuse.A longstanding social malady that needed intervention on a large-scale finally saw the light of day when the Indian government introduced a role play and activity-based module - titled School Health Programme – to be imparted in…

Between March 20th and 31st, the first week of the lockdown, around 3.07 lakh calls were received by the child helpline 1098, out of which 30% or 92,105 calls sought protection against abuse and violence on children. This impelled the Deputy Director of Childline India to suggest that the helpline be declared as an essential service during the coronavirus lockdown. Unfortunately, the lockdown has turned into inescapable prisons for children who were trapped with their abusers at home. The closure of schools as well as online classes also create scope for greater exposure of  children to online child sexual abuse. Another…