Violence against students on the rise<\/p>\n
MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): As many as 180 schools,
\nincluding Islamic boarding schools, in 20 of the 24 regencies in
\nthe province have violated students, reports said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Rusdin Tompo, coordinator for the South Sulawesi Program
\nDevelopment wing of the Child Protection Agency, told The Jakarta
\nPost on Monday that the some of the schools were located in the
\nregencies of Gowa, Takalar, Parepare, Polmas, Bantaeng, Barru,
\nPangkep and Maros.<\/p>\n
The alleged abuse had been conducted by staff at the schools,
\nwhich ranged from elementary to senior high, over the last two
\nyears, Rusdin said.<\/p>\n
\"We have been verifying the data and are working out ways to
\nminimize the abuse against students,\" Tompo said, adding that the
\ndata was gathered from recent investigations of teachers and
\nschool principles as well as surveys conducted by the Safari Team
\nfor Child Rights.<\/p>\n
Rusdin said that the abuse affected students, aged between six
\nand 18 years, who were sometimes instructed by their teachers or
\nprincipals to clean school lavatories, pelted with hard objects,
\nbeaten up or even electrified.<\/p>\n
\"We assume that such violations have become common among
\nteachers who think that it is part of the education system. But
\nthese violations are a denial of the rights of children. It is
\ncompletely illogical to think that instructing students to clean
\nlavatories and shocking them with electricity are acceptable
\nforms of (educational) punishment,\" Rusdin said.<\/p>\n
\"Such methods of punishment could cause psychological impacts
\non the students,\" he said, adding that he had asked the schools
\nin question for an explanation and was informed that was the way
\nthey punished errant or naughty students.<\/p>\n
Legal advocacy would be likely as the quality and quantity of
\nthe abuse had been increasing, he said, adding that the agency
\nwas establishing a special team called Pioneers of Child
\nProtection Cadres in various regencies.<\/p>\n
The South Sulawesi provincial office of the National Education
\nMinistry has yet to be informed about the violations.<\/p>\n
Darwin, an office spokesman, said; \"We have never received
\nsuch reports but we'll seek more information about that. If the
\nreports are true, further (legal) steps will be very possible.\"<\/p>\n
He said that he had heard about student abuse in several
\nschools, including Islamic boarding schools in the province.
\n(27\/sur)<\/p>",
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