Indiscipline in Colombo Schools

K S Sivakumaran

A student seated on a desk

A student raising her hand to clear a doubt

Belonging to an earlier generation I feel a little uneasy when I watch and observe how young people conduct themselves in schools, particularly in Colombo schools. Maybe it is not the same in all schools whether it is in Colombo or in outstation. But certainly in some International Schools where there is a mixed population teachers of the earlier vintage are somewhat shocked and embarrassed by the behaviour both within the school and outside.

Naturally they would be because conditioned in mind and attitudes they are, they may not readily accept that in the 21st century most of things they are accustomed to have all turned topsy–turvy. And yet basic manners, morals, etiquettes and basic values should not have vanished just like that. There may be reasons for this type of indiscipline.

Talking of discipline? What do we mean by that? As for me it is the discipline of both mind and body. Boiled down to the minimum it simply means orderliness in everything in every respect while in school and practising them. While most students adhere to common expectations, a few do not seem to care whatever is strictly enforced.

For instance, once a teacher enters a class room, the students are expected to stand up and greet the teacher with smiles and the teacher in turn reciprocates with a smile and at once a warm atmosphere prevails. The teacher explains the lesson.

The students pay full attention on the lesson and also observe the teacher’s body language, listens to his or her voice and how clearly the lesson is imparted. If the students have some doubts, they wait till the teacher finishes the topic and raise their hands and the teacher picks up one of such students and listens to what he or she says and tries to clear the student’s doubts and he in turn asks a subsidiary question. Many students give the correct answer all at the same time. The teacher tells them such shouting is not encouraged and only one at a time. The students listen and observe silence.

The above is an ideal situation in a class perhaps some decades ago. But what is happening today in schools where discipline is not strictly observed. In such schools chaotic situation prevails. The class is noisy. No regard whatsoever for the teacher. Some would stand up and some would sit on the desk, some would chew a gum, some would hold hands or touch each other, some would crack a joke and laugh heartily and so on. There would be papers and other stuff and litter the floor of the class room. They wouldnot show respect of the girls and even girls would touch the boys and chat.

If these are annoying to a teacher of earlier mental make up, the teacher becomes disappointed and even frustrated by the mental indiscipline of the children that is deplorable. Most of them have no mental discipline to listen to the teacher. They pretend to listen, but really they live in some other world and deaf to what is being taught or discussed.

If the teacher explains an important aspect of a lesson as clearly as possible, the students are expected to note down or even take down notes if the teacher dictates some notes. But they don’t. They never correct the mistakes. They don’t go back home and relearn what they have learnt in class by going through the notes. They donot complete assignments. If there are too many students in a class, if the teacher is a female, you can imagine how it would be for her to control the class which is noisy and unruly.

Apart from these inadequacies, even outside the class rooms most students are irresponsible in behaving in a selfish manner. But as in every rule there is an exception in these respects too.

Why do such students misbehave like this? These are social and psychological and environmental questions. Only educationists and professionals in these fields can answer this question authentically.

Students taking down notes

But we can even try. The new rich, in most cases not educated themselves, send their already corrupt children to established international schools to keep them out for their own peace of mind. Such mismanaged, bad mannered and criminally inclined children spread their influence over the other respectable children in school.

If such wolves in sheep cloths could be wielded out then it would be so much the better and yet another thing is that such schools should make the class rooms comfortable for the students. The weaker students should be put in a special class and coached by a specialist who could handle the situation in an empathetic manner.

Most important of all is that the teachers themselves should upgrade themselves reading widely on many related subjects besides their own subjects before persuading the students to read widely.

The present day students themselves do not read anything at all. They are under the foolish assumption that the internet will give all what they need to know. This is another matter that should be inquired into.

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