Teacher – torturer - lawbreaker: who is teaching your child?

by Sir Frank Peters
August 28, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1717/teacher-torturer-lawbreaker-who-is-teaching-your

What is the matter with many of the alleged 'educators' of this country? Are they bankrupt of pride, dignity and shame? Are they ignorant, unqualified, uneducated, compassionless terrorists masquerading and drawing salaries as professional teachers? Just over a year ago (July 18, 2010) modern day heroine Barrister Sara

Hossain filed a petition in the High Court on behalf of the social conscience organizations Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and its sister Human Rights Organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), advocating the abolition of corporal
punishment in all schools throughout Bangladesh.

The barrister cited 14 separate incidents of severe canings, beatings, teachers chaining the legs of boys and girls, forcible cutting off hair, confinement and a 10-year-old boy who committed suicide following an horrific beating at school. And that was only between March and July!

Only Almighty Allah knows exactly how many more thousands of children throughout Bangladesh also suffered in varying degrees at the hands of sick-minded pseudo teachers that were never reported, their crimes never documented.

On January 13, 2011, the High Court Divisional bench comprising of Justice Md. Imman Ali and Justice Md. Sheikh Hasan Arif declared corporal punishment cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and a clear violation of a child's fundamental right to life, liberty and freedom. They also went on to say the government had failed to take appropriate and adequate action to investigate or take either preventive or
punitive action in specific incidents of corporal punishment in schools and madrassas. There's been little change since.

As a result of Barrister Hossain's historic win at the High Court, Bangladesh became the 110th country in the world to abolish corporal punishment. What a victory for children... human rights... the dignity of the nation! – Better than Bangladesh Cricket team winning 50, a 100, or a 1,000 World Cups! It's impossible to compare a frivolous sport (however popular) to the wellbeing of young human lives. It was a time of rejoicing and celebration for everyone who cared and had spoken out against the horrors of corporal punishment here and all over in the world. The senseless cruelty and inhumane treatment of children that was once accepted in Bangladesh had been outlawed by the High Court – no corporal punishment in Bangladesh schools. The media welcomed the news. It was in all the newspapers for days (both Bangla and English), on the radio, on TV, hot news at village teashops; in offices, factories, and homes (especially)... it was the No. 1 topic throughout the length and breadth of Bangladesh. You would have had to be living on Mars not to know about the historic High Court ruling.

BLIND:

Why would 'teachers' not have seen, read, or heard about the High Court ruling like everyone else? Why is there still corporal punishment in schools? Why are children still suffering inhumane torture at the hands of ignorant 'educators'? Why are 'teachers' defying the law? Why are 'teachers' being allowed to defy the law? Why are Headmasters and schools allowing them to bring disgrace upon the once noble profession? If 'teachers' cannot read Bangla or English and abide by the laws of the land, why are they employed as teachers and drawing salaries from government funds?

The future is bleak for any nation that does not invest in its youth. Youth, not gas, electricity, oil, coal, diamonds or minerals are the greatest wealth of any nation. A dum-dum youth today is a dum-dum adult tomorrow and that must not be allowed.
Education is the life-blood of every nation and is as precious to its growth as air and water is to the human body. The teaching profession, generally, has a reputation for being first in line to teach what is moral, just, and right. They are the architects of building an enlightened and knowledge-based moral society.

Parents entrust their most treasured possessions – their children into the teacher's care to do what is right by the child and society on the whole and to teach children how society expects them to behave in a gentlemanly or lady like manner, showing respect for themselves, their family, their nation and humanity in general: teaching them how to become respected upstanding citizens. The ABCs and 123s are only a miniscule part of the total learning package.

The Bangladesh National Education Commission of 1974 to the National Education Policy of 2010 stress the national aim of education is not only to make every individual knowledgeable, but also to make them capable physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

To the developing mind of the child, a teacher is someone to be revered, respected and holds a lofty position in society. He/she is all-knowing, all-caring and 'right' in almost everything and anything they do; other than the child's parents and family, he/she is the most trusted person on earth – substitute parents in many respects and in most cases and more educated than most parents in many Bangladesh villages.

In times of war, the strong make slaves of the weak. In times of peace, the rich make slaves of the poor and the educated make slaves of the uneducated. Throughout history it's always been the same. In a third-world country like Bangladesh, education is a luxury that many poor people cannot afford and from early days they begin a life of being ripped-off by the local authorities and people in power from the lowest to the highest levels. They don't have education in their
defence.

CORRUPTION:

This brings us to the standard of education in village schools, especially. It is common knowledge that corruption is so rife in Bangladesh that if corruption were the currency of nations, Bangladesh would be one of the richest on earth.

It is also common knowledge that many 'teachers' have had no formal training in teaching and acquire their position not through merit, but via the 'brown envelope' system, which usually proves efficient and effective (for them).

Even in schools where children attend to learn the rights and wrongs, the to-dos and the not-to-dos, there's corruption. To the 'teacher' the brown envelope represents a good investment: a relatively small outlay for a job guaranteed for life and the added bonus of a pension. The issue here is not the actual corruption, but the fact thousands of children over the years are robbed of proper education. Children are not being taught properly. The fact that the 'teacher' has a certificate proclaiming he passed a certain standard in a certain subject is totally irrelevant. I personally know many HIGHLY educated people who know certain subjects inside out, upside-down and from top-to-bottom, but cannot teach the subjects if their lives depended on it. They lack teaching skills. Isn't that the reason teaching is a profession and not just a job of convenience? – Not everyone can do it.

In Europe, thousands of would-be teachers are rejected each year from teachers' training colleges, not because they lack education in their chosen subjects they would like to teach, but because they cannot teach them. They were just not cut out to be teachers. Calling yourself a teacher (and getting paid as such) is one thing, actually being able to teach is something completely different. I know of schools here in Bangladesh where only three or four students out of 100 pass maths tests. Maths to the majority of the students is as alien as learning Japanese. They just can't get their heads around it. Who's at fault? The chances of there being 96% mathematical dum-dums in the one class, is highly unlikely. The most obvious and logical explanation is that the 'teacher' just does not know how to teach the subject.

Who is checking on the teachers' abilities to teach? Is there a government inspectorate who monitors such matters and takes appropriate action, like removing the 'teacher' before he/she can cause any more life-long damage? Or is the 'brown envelope' and a mutual agreement of silence, the ready-made solution to that as well? There are many exemplary, honourable teachers in Bangladesh schools, colleges, and universities who love, live, and would die for the profession and its ideals – I met some. Their greatest satisfaction and ultimate reward is seeing their students succeed and fulfil their destinies. They are highly motivated, inspiring, dedicated, patriotic and dedicated to the profession, nation and to Almighty Allah. Those I salute. You know who you are and no doubt Almighty Allah will justly reward you and your loved ones one day.

Teaching is not about teaching doctrine (do as I say, but don't do as I do), but showing by example. When we talk about the quality of someone's teaching we address issues of technique, content, and presentation. But we all know people who have tremendous knowledge but fail to communicate it: people who have, on paper, a great lesson, but whose students are bored or frustrated.

Good teaching embraces attitude towards the students, and bringing out the best in them. Each pupil is unique – no two pupils are the same – and each has a mind equivalent to, or better than, a bank of the best IBM computers. What worked last year is no guarantee it will work again this year: times change, people change; forward movement is inevitable and teachers must keep instep with the times. Back to corporal punishment... the final words of Prophet Jesus as he died on the cross were: "God forgive them for they know not what they do".

Prior to the High Court ruling of July 18, 2010 corporal punishment in moderation was accepted by society. Little thought was given to the lifetime damage it caused and 'teachers' were shielded by their ignorance of the ill-effects, perhaps they knew no better and did what they thought was right... but not anymore. Bangladesh has emerged from the dark ages, partly.

No longer is it lawful or acceptable for a teacher to strike, verbally abuse, discriminate against, or threaten any child. And the length of a child's hair is a family matter and absolutely no concern of the 'teacher'.

Any teacher or headmaster who dispenses corporal punishment is no person to be admired. He is an enemy of student, family and state who shows contempt for all – a common outlaw – and leaves himself open to arrest, assault, or worse by the child's family and friends and he/she brings disgrace to the once noble profession.

If you are a teacher of conscience, do not be afraid to speak out against a colleague or headmaster. Not only is it your duty to the child, but also to the profession. Then repair will begin to mend the damage done and dignity and respect will be restored to the noblest profession, next to nursing.

Remember, all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.

Sir Frank Peters is a former newspaper and magazine publisher and editor, an award-winning writer and photographer of international renown, a humanitarian, a Goodwill Ambassador and Senior Adviser to European and Saudi royalty, and a dear friend to Bangladesh.

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