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Facebook fiasco: Principals not taught lessons
Teacher trade unions have criticised the conduct and style of governance adopted by the Principal of Sir John Kotalawela Maha Vidyalaya that led to the untimely death of a 15-year-old student of the school.The school had failed to establish a child protection committee as instructed by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) and the Principal ran the school in such a way as to instill military-fashion discipline and obedience in both children and teachers.
The fifteen-year-old girl took her own life after being severely reprimanded for uploading pictures on Facebook that, according to her Principal, was damaging to the image of the school.In her suicide note the student denied this accusation, saying someone else had uploaded the pictures and “tagged” her name on them. She expressed her disappointment and embarrassment at having been called a prostitute in Sinhalese.
Five years after a much-publicised incident in which a student of a leading school took her life within school premises, the authorities are still struggling to develop in teachers and principals the necessary skills needed to handle young children and adolescents . NCPA chairperson, Anoma Dissanayake highlighted the need for adults to handle children and adolescents with sensitivity and care. Following the incident in 2009, the NCPA took steps to instruct all schools to establish child protection committees comprising teachers, parents, children and a counsellor. A circular to that effect had been distributed in 2011, Ms. Dissanayake said.
The committees were tasked with raising awareness on issues such as safe use of the internet, parental monitoring of internet usage and how new media devices could be put to productive use, Ms. Dissanayake said, adding that the current tragedy might have been avoided if a committee had been functioning properly at Sir John Kotalawela Maha Vidyalaya. “Matters always depend on how each individual manages the schools and handles different situations, Ms. Dissanayake said adding, “When a principal is the offender, the schoolchildren are in a very vulnerable position as they are scared of him or her.”
General Secretary, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU), Joseph Stalin blamed the Principal, Saman Indrarathne, for not handling the situation with necessary sensitivity.
Mr Stalin said the evidence given by the Principal showed that he had failed to understand the difference between disciplining young students and members of the armed forces.
“This is the tragedy of trying to instill a military mentality and training in students and principals. Students should be allowed to think freely and be tactfully managed. They should not be addressed or handled in a military style,” Mr Stalin said. He also stressed the need for teachers to be updated on teaching techniques, education psychology, and global trends affecting children of schoolgoing age, alleging that the Ministry of Education had not taken any steps to include this type of mid-career training for teachers in government service.
Ms. Dissanayake concurred saying that it was important to include aspects of education psychology and adolescent psychology into the curriculums of teacher training institutes. “We have sent a letter to the Education Ministry Secretary and requested that these aspects be included in the curriculums of teacher training in the future. Right now they are not interested as it is not in the curriculums,” she said.
A police spokesperson said investigations into the suicide had been closed and no investigations had been conducted on the accusations made by the deceased in her suicide note. “If the parents of the child or any other person makes a complaint to the police on the matter, we can start a separate investigation,” SSP Ajith Rohana said.
Copycat risk, warns Sumithrayo
Heightened publicity given to a suicide can make others who are also vulnerable to consider suicide as an option to their problems warned a volunteer identified as Jomo who works with Sumithrayo, a government approved charity focused on suicide prevention.
Stressing the gravity of the problem he said that after the much- publicised Colombo schoolgirl suicide in 2009, two more students took their own lives using the same method in the months following that incident.”This is known as the ‘copy-cat syndrome’. Since these suicides occurred in rural areas they did not receive much publicity,” he said.
According to Jomo, there is a rise in the number of students experiencing depression and other psychological issues. “We see an increase in the numbers of callers and students who approach us with their concerns. The students face these issues mostly due to the severe pressure they are under in dealing with the demands made on them”, he said.
He also stressed the need for raising awareness about the options available to reach out when young people are feeling hopeless, depressed or disillusioned.
“We urge schools to be aware of our services and display our contact details in the schools”, he said, adding that media should also display appropriate sensitivity and responsibility in their reportage on the issue.
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