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Ground realities by Tharuka Dissanaike

What goes round, naturally, comes round.

It seems to me that the general indiscipline and lack of self-control that is manifest in many sections of society has now wound its way to a very vulnerable quarter-schools.

It is with some amount of trepidation, I believe, that the general public has been observing the crisis that is building up in our schools. Don't let's fool ourselves that the problems are confined to 'certain' schools and to 'certain' areas.

The best of Colombo schools have been in turmoil recently. Many out-of-Colombo schools have been shut up for days and weeks following violent protests, clashes and general mayhem. Teachers have resorted to previously unheard of moves like boycotting classes. Students have taken to the roads and walked out of class while school was very much in progress. And parents? They have the worst record so far. Stoning buildings, beating up teachers, assaulting students and generally creating an atmosphere, the likes of which has never been associated with the country's schooling history. It looks like discipline and good behaviour is history.

The shocking story that emanated through the gates of a once-hallowed education center, last week leaves many questions unanswered. St. Paul's Girls School in Milagiriya, Colombo, may never have had such a brutal incident in all its more-than-a-century history. According to weekend newspapers, a group of protesting students were physically abused by the Principal and a group of men claiming to be parents. The Principal declines to comment on the incident. Friday's lessons were conducted with police guard, whom the students accuse of turning a blind eye to the violence.

The questions are- how is it that a principal of a reputed girls' school continues in service after she had allowed male 'parents' to abuse teenage students? What prompted and who encouraged students to walk out of class? What role did teachers play in this drama? How can the school continue its day to day sessions with such deep animosity between its chief caretaker and some of her wards? How far should parents be allowed to interfere in the decisions of a principal and teachers? Since when did police protection needed for students to attend classes in the heart of Colombo.

Another school went up in a roar in Minuwangoda last week. An unprotected well within the school premises caused the death of a young student. The ensuing chaos saw students as young as 10 walking out of the school in protest, led by teachers, and sections of the public identified again as parents actually stoning the protesters, grievously injuring another student in the melee.

Slowly and surely indiscipline and unruliness in schools is reaching alarming proportions.

Schools, after all, are those once-hallowed institutions where the first lessons in obedience, respect, discipline and control are meted out. But now that the rot has set in, how will the authorities deal with restoring the schools to what they should be? Or will we soon see a situation very much akin to universities inside schools as well? Are we looking at a future where schools will remain closed for periods of unrest and a time when walking out of schools and classes (generally known as striking, as in universities) becomes the common form of dissent against a unpopular teacher or principal.

It appears also that parents have had a large role to play in the general deterioration of schools and the undermining of the status of a school principal. Parent associations and past pupils associations, while carrying out important functions to uplift school standards, have contributed to the problem by needless meddling in school decision-making. In earlier times (when things were not so bad) principals were strong minded individuals who took and stood by difficult decisions in the face of opposition. But today, even the most upright and educated principal finds life difficult when faced with parents who would not hesitate to call upon political devas to interfere in school affairs.

On the other hand, today's principals and teachers are all products of our own flawed system of education. They have come from universities which remained closed for the better part of their career. They have had little interaction with the glorious days of selfless teaching, where teachers actually cared for their students- both their academic and moral upbringing.

Then again, there is always society. Our children will reflect the morals of our times. When there is rampant indiscipline all around us, flagrantly demonstrated by some of our senior Cabinet ministers themselves, can we expect much more from youngsters who look upon adults to guide them?

It is hard to imagine how the education authorities plan to turn the wheel back. But somehow, it has to be done. We owe that to the next generation.

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