It is my pleasure and privilege to interact with you
all through this page. In the next few issues, I will be discussing IAP
Action Plan for the year 2011. Our children have lot of problems at school
which needs remediation. So we are planning to implement Child Friendly
School Initiative to improve their health.
Our children are spending most of their time, for a
period of more than 10-12 years in schools. Hence we should provide good
physical, mental and social environment for our children. Most of the
parents have the false belief (or they have no time to think about it!)
that the school environment of their children are optimal. Are the schools
as child friendly as we consider, and how do we make them more cordial?
Our children are forced to carry heavy backpacks daily
to school. Excess of homework and examination leaves no free time for them
even at their home. Many students are getting punished directly or
indirectly for academic matters. Another worrying matter is the over
crowded school vehicles. The number of school latrines and toilets are
either inadequate or unhygienic. Majority of the children, especially
girls have never used them in their school life. Everybody admits that
there are some problems: but where do we start from and how do we solve
them?
Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) of IAP was a
grand success in making our hospital environment baby friendly. Similarly
we all look forward for a child friendly school environment. With these in
mind, IAP is planning to implement the Child Friendly School Initiative (CFSI)
Program under the IAP President’s Action Plan, countrywide.
CFSI Program: A 5 Point Action Plan
1. No physical punishment in school: The
physical punishment may do more harm than benefit. However in
unavoidable situations, the child may be punished by other non-physical
methods.
2. Avoid excess baggage: Excess weight of the
school bag may lead to backache, neck pain, school phobia, etc ("The
school bag syndrome"). The ideal weight of school bags should be less
than 10% of the child’s body weight. Bag weight can be reduced by
different methods: (a) The age of admission for KG class should
be 4 years and the first standard at 6 years, (b) in lower
primary classes bag weight can be reduced by having a provision for
keeping books in the school, (c) for different terms we can have
separate term textbooks, (d) a file system is an effective method
in higher classes.
3. Provision for adequate number of toilets:
There should be one urinal for 60 students and one latrine for 100
students, with provision for daily cleaning.
4. There should be provision for safe travel
to and from the school. Travel in two or three-wheelers should be
discouraged and overcrowding to be avoided.
5. Well equipped class rooms and adequate play
grounds: The number of students in a classroom should be limited to
40. The class room should have enough space (10 sq. feet/student or 400
sq.feet/classroom) and there should be appropriate furniture and proper
ventilation. The school should have an adequate playground and a minimum
of 4 hours per week to be alloted for sports and cultural activities.
As a pediatrician, each and every one of us has the
responsibility of making our school environment healthy and friendly.
Parents, teachers and the school management can contribute a lot in this
aspect. It is heartening to see that there are some movements from many
corners of the country. The Education, Health and Human resources ministry
should take action to implement necessary steps to make our schools child
friendly. We can say that the school is a child friendly one, if the child
says "I would like to go to school on weekends."