Incidents of fist fights among school children in Kashmir puts spotlight on indiscipline

Srinagar, May 28: The incidents of school students engaging in physical fights in and outside the school premises has raised serious concern among the stakeholders particularly the parents. The incidents reported from different parts of the valley have fueled growing concerns over declining discipline and behavioural standards among the students.

In the last few days, several episodes of scuffle among the students were reported out of which some happened outside the school premises while some incidents took place inside the premises, raising concern over the security set up in the school.

According to teachers, these acts of aggression are often the outcome of minor disputes between the peer group which however quickly escalate into violent confrontations, involving different groups of the students.

School authorities have also initiated action in some cases while in some incidents, the school authorities involve the Police as well.

“Obviously, it is disheartening to see our students getting violent inside or outside school premises. Such behaviour disrupts the academic environment of the schools,” said a senior teacher of a leading private school in Srinagar.

“At times the small issues erupt inside the school premises but once the students leave from the schools, they involve different groups and engage in physical fighting,” he said.

Besides the school management, the parents are alarmed by the growing indiscipline among the students.

“We send our kids to school at an early age in reputed institutions with the only hope that they will become civilised and will become disciplined. But as the years pass by, the kids are becoming more aggressive and intolerant,” said one of the parents (name withheld), whose kids are studying in a reputed private school in Budgam.

The parents however put the blame on the school authorities saying that all the private educational institutions do not hire services of counselors to engage with students and read their behavioural changes. “No doubt parents also have a role to play but, our words do not have much impact as compared to the counseling done by trainer counselors,” the parents said.

The issues came to limelight after a few incidents of violent confrontation among students were reported from Budgam and Srinagar.

In one case the alumni of the school entered the school premises and engaged in physical confrontations with the students currently studying in the school. There were reports that some drivers and other staff were also attacked in the incident.

In another incident, students engaged in physical fight near clock tower lal chowk and later some clashes were observed inside the premises of a nearby school, the students are enrolled in.

“The students engaged in physical fights outside school premises and later some aggression was observed inside the premises as well. But we have suspended two students who were found more involved in the clash. We called their parents for counseling as well,” a senior functionary of the school told Greater Kashmir.

President Private Schools Association J&K (PSAJK) G N Var the growing trend was disturbing and indicates intolerance among the students.

“We have already asked our schools to hire counselors for studying behaviour of the students and do their counseling as well,” G N Var said. He further stressed on giving moral education to students and appealed to parents not to give their children access to mobile phones and social media.

“All these things have proven extremely harmful to their well-being and have led to increasing cases of digital addiction. Parents must avoid giving phones to children after 9pm,” he said.

He said that schools and parents should join hands and must prioritise discipline, care and digital restraint in homes.

“All the stakeholders must share the responsibility to take proactive and preventive measures,” he said.