?It is with great concern that we notice that violence is increasing in schools.? The introductory note of the kit against violence leaves no room for doubt. This kit, launched by the Ombudsperson for Children, Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra, in the presence of the minister of Education, Dharam Gokhool, at Rev. Henri Espitalier-Noël Govt School in Cité Mangalkhan Floréal is aimed at helping the ministry ?introduce a certain attitude in school to reduce violence and indiscipline?.

Several reports in the past few months have pointed at growing violence and indiscipline at school. The latest one by Dr Ramharai of the Mauritius Institute of Education in collaboration with the Mauritius Research Council paints a frightening picture of the situation. So as to provide a response to this report, this kit is intended as a ?pedagogical tool for all stakeholders in education to favour a healthy and child-friendly environment that discourages any form of violence at school?.

The kit makes it clear that corporal punishment can only lead to negative outcomes such as increased child aggression and antisocial behaviour.

Even though minister Gokhool agreed that ?the problem of indiscipline in some schools is becoming a cause for alarm?, he said that ?concern about indiscipline and violence in schools can sometimes mask the fact that most pupils attend school everyday and that the great majority of pupils who attend behave themselves and work well with one another and their teachers?. He nevertheless committed to fully support the introduction of this kit in all schools after the collaborative work done with the Ombudsperson on the issue of violence at school.

The Ombudsperson for Children considers that ?violence is imported from other parts of society?. This is why fighting against this scourge appears as a very long task. For her, ?violence can?t be seen only as a problem of indiscipline (?). It is obvious that schools need specific rules. However, children who do not commit violence against their fellows or teachers or even against themselves will not have a better behaviour if they are simply punished for indiscipline?. But there are ways of preventing violence including ?constructive and positive discipline?.

The kit deals with the issue of corporal punishment. Although it is supposed to have been prohibited since 1957, it is still used both at home and at school as a way of ensuring discipline. But the kit, basing itself on several international reports, made it clear that corporal punishment can only lead to negative outcomes such as ?increased child aggression and increased delinquent and antisocial behaviour? among many others.

Corporal punishment merely appears as a way of introducing more violence at school while its initial objective is the exact opposite. This is one of the ways of ?promoting safety of children in education settings?, according to the kit. But it also provides a whole list of measures to try and promote a child-friendly environment at school.

For instance, the kit makes it clear that ?teachers should be trained in non-violent disciplinary measures? ? that is, the use of ?positive discipline not based on fear, threat, humiliation or physical force, in keeping with child-friendly learning approaches?.

It also points out the need for ?curriculum adjustments to model non-violence?. The teaching should also be focused on non-violence. For instance, the kit recommends ?life skills education to enable students to build personal skills, programmes for violence prevention in schools?. The collaboration of the community is also important. ?Extending the role of schools in addressing the needs of children and young people by after-school programmes and other extra-curricular activities, and facilitating closer school-community linkages involving students, staff, parents and other partners to address issues relating to violence in and around schools,? states the report.

Mechanisms are needed for reporting violence and gaining redress ? so that students ?can safely and confidentially report incidents of violence, receive counselling or other appropriate services and be assured that perpetrators will be brought to justice?.

Of course, school is not the only place where violence must be fought. Even though it obviously has a ?major role to play in the rehabilitation of young people, we know that school only can?t stop such problems because they need a multidisciplinary approach?.

With this in mind, the Network of the Education Community (NEC) set up after the workshop on violence held at the University of Mauritius by the Ombudsperson for Children, will help the Ombudsperson and the ministry of Education to promote the kit in all schools. The NEC is composed of some heads of schools in mainstream and non-mainstream sectors as well as other stakeholders of the education sector like non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The kit will be distributed in every school, but the NEC will pilot it in some 20 schools where the situation is more serious.

?As the United Nations Organisation pointed out, no violence is justifiable but any violence can be prevented,? concluded Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra.

PILOT PROJECT

<B>A school that sets the example</B>

■ The Ombudsperson for Children?s office insisted on launching the Kit on Violence at School at Rev. Espitalier-Noël Government School. Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra wanted to point at the good work her office has been doing there thanks to a dynamic staff and the headteacher, Mrs Ramchurn, who has always been committed to fight violence and offer a better future to her pupils. ?This is a child-friendly school where many NGOs have been working. We can improve the situation a lot here,? said Ismaël Bhawamia from the Ombudsperson office.

BEHAVIOUR

<B>Some constructive discipline practices (from the kit itself) </B>

? To enhance rule-abiding behaviour, school rules should be revised on the first day of school every year. The first day at school should be used to discuss the consequences of breaking rules as well as rules themselves. In Hungary, for instance, the rules are collectively agreed upon by consensus and posted; often the students themselves make a poster proclaiming the rules.

? The admonitory dialogue. This is a calm and firm dialogue with children and teenagers to elaborate on their undesired action, practice or behaviour. The conversation should help them acknowledge the failure of an accomplishment and produce change in children?s behaviour.

? The reparation of damages and rectification of wrongs. This appears as one of the most efficient non-violent methods for the preventive discipline of children.

? Constructive authority and model strength of the adult and the likelihood of imitation by the child.

? Communication, which is the key to conflict resolution. Constructive conditions must be created in the class to insure involved parties are open and willing to hear and talk things out.