Cyberbullying - Curbing its tentacles

Late January this year, the Telstra Foundation announced it had provided a $400,000 social innovation grant to a youth-led movement against bullying known as Project Rockit. The project engages Australian school students between 7-9 years in learning and understanding the issues of bullying, cyber safety and leadership. Personally, I see this as an extremely encouraging development given the regular number of cyberbullying cases sprouting in schools/institutes globally. A McAfee survey in 2014 concluded that the number of school children in London being bullied on the internet has doubled in the past year, with more than one in three victims.

India is no exception. Some weeks back when I was rushed into a closed door meeting to tackle one such instance. A couple of students had made a fake Instagram account of a classmate and sent across messages to other classmates and a student from another school. The students involved and their parents were spoken to. The police officer of the area police station, investigated the matter and addressed the students and the parents in the presence of the principal, making them aware of the detrimental impact of such an involvement.

The advent of technology has not only shifted children out of playgrounds to their living rooms with their gadgets but with it, bullying too has shifted from playgrounds to the virtual world!  In fact, the ‘viral’ nature of cyberbullying makes it so much more convenient and simple to send humiliating texts, pictures, videos while still remaining anonymous. Cyberbullying occurs when children lose sight of the consequences. They fail to think that sending messages which they see as “just messing” or “joking” is actually a form of bullying, and don’t understand how it can hurt and emotionally uproot a person.

Internet anonymity empowers the perpetrators to believe they will not be known and traced as they see the internet as not a real world. As with traditional bullying, pressure from friends can be a trigger for cyberbullying too or a mere act to appear cool or have some fun at the expense of another. In more serious cases, it entails receiving threats that can seriously dent the self-esteem and emotional health of a child.

This brings us to an important question. How prepared are we as custodians of our children to tackle this? Clearly, any step needs to be tailored in congruence with an empathetic and sensitive approach for both the bully and the victim. Remember, children may not want to let you know that they are victims of bullying due to embarrassment or fearing intrusion on their personal space. Teachers and parents both must keep a vigil over any sudden behavioural change or attitudinal shifts.

At our school we are creating awareness among students about

- Their rights and responsibilities online.

- Making sure they are aware that the internet is not a ‘private’ place.

- Advocating the positive use of technology.

- Promoting good netiquette and personal safety issues.

- Inculcating a “telling” atmosphere – so that their peers will report cyberbullying, publicise different ways of reporting cyberbullying to give confidence to bystanders.

- Anti-bullying policies will be set which will be constantly updated and amended to deal with cyberbullying as it evolves.

Some of the ways parents can help tackling cyberbullying are -

1.    Choosing battles wisely: It’s best to not engage with unpleasantness or vile behaviour; it is what bullies target for. However, limits definitely need to be set for taking stern action against the perpetrator.

2.    Privacy settings – Block the bully or any unknown numbers from contacting on child’s phone. Consider logging off altogether if the app or messenger only seems to distract your child, for a couple of months.

3.    Report fake profiles/information – Report any occurrences of fake profiles and indecent pages to the website as well as the cybersecurity cell.  

4.    Trust your child – It won’t be easy for them to come out and admit something to you, so don’t judge them.

5.    Listen – This is the most undervalued skills but one that can give an idea about the state of the mind of the child either bullying or getting bullied.

 Our students are being encouraged to make friends and promote a positive and supportive atmosphere in the school which will ensure that cyberbullying or any form of bullying does not thrive.  Forbidding technology is definitely not the solution but to guide the students from making choices responsibly. What worked for us undoubtedly is the bringing together of the parent, the management and the law on the same platform to address the children together. This should be a combined body working as a unit to empower the students to make each of their voices heard. 

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A Mixed Bag - Budget 2017 for Education

Budget 2017 seems to have been a mixed bag of sorts with higher education, unsurprisingly, been given maximum impetus. School education once again seems to have been given the raw end of the deal with hardly any developments or thrusts.  The budget while crafted on the premise of good intentions  clearly seems ambiguous in terms of tackling key implementation challenges. A few observations -

1. National Testing Agency to conduct all exams higher education - To begin with positives, The National Testing Agency should definitely help in terms of reducing burden on students preparing for multitude of entrance tests. It should also enable CBSE and AICTE to focus on its core areas of improving academic milieu.
2. More autonomy to quality education institution - Autonomy to be given to ‘quality’ institutions should definitely up the quality of education and has been the need of the hour but the criteria to discern quality education through accreditation/rankings would hold the key. It will also need to be guarded closely since institutions could take advantage and commercialise courses.
3. System to measure learning outcomes in schools - There seems to be much ambiguity in terms of the implementation of it. Conducting learning assessment programs require huge resource when you consider the 2.5 crore students studying across 14 lakh schools. Whereas school assessment program has been allocated a meagre Rs. 67 lacs against Rs. 5 crore the previous year.
4. Leverage ICT with launch of Swayam which has free courses - virtual attendance taught by best faculty - Swayam which got a soft launch last year is a good initiative but will face issues due to lack of infrastructure and technology. Alos, like other massive open online courses (MOOCs), will face challenges like low completion rates. So, emphasis should be given to strengthen public education system and building up strong teacher training.
5. Setting up of AIIMS and steps to increase post graduate seats for medical seats -  The setting up of the two AIIMS as a move to get more qualified doctors is welcome though again the key challenge is to also get trained faculty as well as integrating it with a strong public healthcare infrastructure system.
6. Innovation Fund - Creation of the innovation fund is definitely needed and could help in bringing about enhanced learning outcomes in backward blocks. However, like the national testing agency, the budget doesn’t give any clue in terms of the allocation for this fund as is with the incorporation of National Testing Agency.
7. Increased allocation to IITs/IIMs - While thrust seems to have been given to IIMs and IITs and higher education in general, in terms of increased allocations, this in itself will not take care of dearth of expert faculty and also quality of students getting enrolled in such institutes. This is where the school education system needs to be strengthened from pre-primary to higher secondary! Unfortunately, school education has been left wanting of critical reforms required. No impetus placed on Teacher training programmes which is critical for the implementation of improving learning outcomes.
8. Increase of Rs. 1000 crore and Rs. 300 crore allocation to SSA and mid day meal - The midday meal scheme got a mere Rs. 300 crore increase, not enough for the millions of malnourished children in schools and to improve the quality of food being served in schools. A meagre increase of Rs. 1000 crores in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan won’t be very helpful in ironing out the multitudes of problems the program has run into. Two deadlines have been missed due to inadequate resources. The universalisation of education from pre-primary to secondary education still seems like a distant dream to come true and in this 21st century for us to not have completed this basic milestone is not only unfortunate but shameful.

Overall, we have a long way to go in terms of improving our education system which is the backbone of any nation. We require bold moves and structural approach to really work on crucial issues troubling both school and higher education to bridge a phenomenally huge gap in the dissemination of education, inclusion, infrastructure and technology, curriculum. Remember, we will have a working population of over 860 million by 2020!  A mere 3.8% allocation of GDP to education against a 6% allocation proposed by the education commission back in 1964-66 shows the abyss we will be staring at, if we don’t make education our top priority.

Accomplishing Resolutions - Retrace, Rinse, Recycle but don’t Retreat!

Ah! the palpability of brand new beginnings. Being handed a fresh new slate and with it an array of infinite possibilities is tantalizing. Perhaps that’s the reason why the new year is considered the perfect time to make resolutions, commit ourselves to the goals that have been eluding us. Getting more disciplined spending ourselves while also letting ourselves loose to pursue our joys more uninhibitedly. And yet, how many of us actually manage to pull through the year and stick to those resolutions? Resolutions are meant to be broken for most of us!

That’s the reason I don’t believe in making resolutions for the new year. I had stopped doing so when observing my greatest teachers - my students, as young as five years! Ever observed a five-year old engrossed in play? Or a ten year old lost in thought while trying to absorb the details of the lecture that just concluded?  Or a fourteen year old come up to you and argue about what she didn’t think was right about an issue?

Children don’t need resolutions; they don’t even understand them. Each day is a fresh slate to be their unbridled self. Yes, what is important is channelising their energy in a disciplined manner. Parents often ask me how to discipline their kids - make them read more, exercise more, eat healthy, study more focusedly, value and respect relationships. I tell them what I tell my teachers, and that which gets a little difficult to digest: Children learn best by example.

A case in point is the Aamir-starrer Dangal, a real-life story of how a wrestler grooms and trains his daughters to combat their perceived weaknesses and turn it into strengths. His children initially resist the changes forced upon them as expected but themselves embrace the rigid schedule and training once the intent and commitment of the parent shines through. So, let that light shine through. It isn’t easy to contain it. It is bound to radiate and infiltrate across you. Children are the first to pick up and emulate behaviour of the ones they look upto. From toddlers to teens it is always parents and teachers before it becomes peers. So, the initial years are crucial in entrenching their character, which is formed by habits.

And we wouldn’t need resolutions if every day we would just resolve to be true to ourselves and commit to treat ourselves with highest regard and love. The habits will just then flow through and so will the will power. So, in effect that is all that needs to be demonstrated to children as well. In fact it is us who need to learn from them - to get in touch with  the inner child. Just doing that needs to be done. Still wondering how to make that resolution and stick to them on a daily basis? Here’s what I have borrowed from a 5-year old -

1. Embrace the moment - Be present in the moment. Accomplishments will be a source of joy not a task.
2. Be selfish - Fill yourself with so much love it flows through. Will and intent will follow.
3. Honesty - To thine ownself be true. Understand why something is working or not. Take baby steps.
4. Fall and Rise - You are likely to fall. Dust yourself, stand up again sporting an impish smile
5. Repeat - Something didn’t work? Retrace/Rinse/Recycle but don’t Retreat!

Finally, the ultimate responsibility is toward oneself!  The best teachers, best school or supportive family will not amount to much if the will to learn and challenge oneself constantly is absent! 

Channelising Intuition to Live A Better Life

Recall that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach that you get when you aren’t sure about doing something? Or a vivid dream that you have on the eve of an event premonizing the turn of events that play out? Or a sudden feeling that grips heart foretelling an impending event? Every person is intuitive! Did you know that? Yes! Even you! What may differ is the extent to which one channelises it. Intuition is but a myriad of senses that work together and guide us toward our highest good. Some are naturally inclined with being more sensitive and perceptive with their intuitive energy.  

The good news though is that it is never too late! With practice, anyone can get in tune with their subconscious to channelise their energy and develop it over time. Being intuitive can help one trust one’s instincts unconditionally fostering self-reliance, compassion and kindness - towards oneself and others. Making decisions will be relatively stress free and life more peaceful! This ultimately leads to approach life and react to situations in a different way. One tends to be more faithful, hopeful with a more developed sense of self belief which isn’t mired within the traditional constructs. Many successful people swear by the way they have been able to hone their senses to be more trustful, empathise and be at peace.  

Here are some ways highly intuitive people approach situations differently -

Trust - Highly intuitive people trust themselves from an understanding that the instincts guiding them are beyond what the mind can fathom. They approach situations with a lack of fear even if not necessarily a lack of doubt. Their decision making skills are pointed and lack fear. The best choices one makes in your life if you notice, will be the ones devoid of fear and guided by your instinct. To develop an unconditional trust in yourself, start becoming aware of how you trust your judgement in daily life starting with the simplest things. Do you counsel many people before going in with a decision? Have trust in your abilities to take a decision and stick to it, even if you need to begin small.  Make a note of the times when a judgement paid and perhaps when it didn’t. Try to gauge the influences that triggered you into making that decision.

Empathy - Intuitivity also helps in building empathy which in turn also helps in understanding the environment around and being more centered. It develops your sensitivity and helps in getting in touch with it. Intuitive people instantly are more aware of the energies around them and know which energies to absorb, reflect and avoid. The more intuitive you are the less tolerant you become to negative energy. However, you also learn to discern between people that elevate your energy and in turn become an energy elevator yourself. With more awareness, the more sensitive you become and you maintain to function at a higher vibration. Getting in touch with our chakras will be a great way to understand more about energy and how our bodies react to it.

Peace - Intuitive people are more at peace with themselves and the surroundings. They listen to and follow their intuition on a consistent basis. There is an innate sense of trusting self and experience of trusting our judgement. It is in the belief that the intuition has no agenda in itself but to guide us towards the best option for us. There is no conflict between the heart and the mind and this brings peace. Meditating daily for 15 minutes daily early morning or just before sleeping can help you get in touch with your inner being.

These are but some of the key ways intuition can be channelised to achieve long-term gains. Do you have any interesting anecdotes to share? Would love to hear from you!

Demonetisation and Education

Inarguably, there has hardly been any issue as widely debated and conjectured than the government’s recent demonetisation drive of 500 and 1000 rupee notes.  And the one that has impacted the daily life of the common man as well as the trade and industry to such an extent. Personally, apart from being bedazzled by the move, it was the intent behind the move that held me captive like most Indians. The idea of wiping out black money and corruption, which plagues our system, needn’t any selling, especially to the common man who grapples with its demons every day. Needless to say, this move has impacted all sectors and education is no exception. The move will impact institutes taking donations or capitation fees. Some key monumental changes that we should witness due to demonetisation are -

1. Transparency - The biggest bane in the education sector and every parent’s nightmare. It is no secret that from kindergarten, schools, high schools and professional institutes, the practice of giving exorbitant amount of money in donations is rampant across the country. Many private education institutes take donations nearly 50% of the course fee and in cash.  This will stop and parents of students should get some relief even if the course fee may be upped marginally.  

2. Meritocracy - Meritocracy should get an impetus since seats in colleges and  

institutes won’t be found in bargain basements for sale. Medicine and engineering  

colleges will be most impacted. Some seats in these professional institutes fetch as

high as 50 lakhs to a few crores. Management seats should increasingly land in the  

lap of meritorious students.

3. Quality of Education - While there is some debate that some negative impact on  

quality of education will be felt due to a restriction of funds, it may be temporary. Fee   

structures could get realigned and may only lead to greater accountability.

Needless to say though that the government should focus on complementary and strategically planned initiatives/measures at the policy and grassroot level in the education sector to accentuate the benefits.

While the overall sentiment pertaining to demonetisation has been positive, it is pertinent to note how the media, influencers and opinionators which applauded the move almost unanimously have begun showing a marked shift in the narrative relaying pictures of how it may not look as good as it sounded then in terms of impacting the economy from the grassroot level due to the gaps in implementation.

Of course, the long term impact is what remains crucial in terms of sustained holistic  measures to curb corruption and that remains to be seen. The role of education in curbing corruption can’t be overlooked since there is no equaliser like education- a panacea to remove disparities and pockets of imbalance, reduce the gap between the have and the have-nots: the primary reason for corruption to thrive. Like all educationists, I eagerly look forward to the day when education will be given its due and along with health care be taken seriously enough.