Addressing aggression: Understanding roots of school violence in Assam
REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE (AI)
Guwahati, Sept 28: The rising cases of violence among school-going students have sparked serious concerns across the state, prompting many to question the root causes of such aggressive behaviour in children.
In the past week, four violent incidents in schools have left one student dead and several others injured. In response, the government has implemented stricter measures on school premises, including mandatory frisking of school bags.
The first of these incidents happened on September 23 when a Class 9 student of a school in Sipajhar was attacked by senior students with a sharp weapon on school premises, leading to his death.
The victim's father later accused the school administration of negligence and insufficient supervision. “If they had been more vigilant, my son might still be alive,” he lamented, highlighting the need for greater accountability from school officials.
A Class 9 student was attacked by senior students with a sharp weapon on school premises in Sipajhar (AT Photo)
The following day, September 25, a similar incident unfolded in Jorhat, where a Class 11 student was injured in a knife attack by peers.
On September 26, another student in Nagaon suffered injuries during a clash with fellow students and the next day, on September 27, a Class 6 student at Tezpur School was severely injured after being assaulted by a classmate with a water bottle.
Experts speak
Kangkana Hazarika, a psychologist and outreach associate at the Aditya Birla Education Trust, says that identification of the underlying causes of aggression is the first step towards uprooting it.
“In the Indian context, socio-cultural influences play a significant role. For instance, many parents, while trying to comfort their children after they fall, tap on the floor instead of addressing the child's feelings. Unknowingly, they teach their children to suppress their emotions, leading them to take out their frustrations on others,” she explained.
Unknowingly, parents teach their children to suppress their emotions, leading them to take out their frustrations on others," a psychologist said. (Representational Image)
Child Rights Activist Miguel Das Queah, while highlighting the recent surge in clashes among school students, argued that crimes committed by children accounted for only 0.5 percent of total recorded crimes in India in 2022.
“Due to their tender age, children lack the cognitive capacity to commit offenses with mala fide intent or fully gauge the consequences. This is why offenses committed by children are addressed under the reformative Juvenile Justice Act—there’s always a context compelling a child to act out.”
Hazarika further stressed on the need to provide children with a safe space to express all emotions, including aggression and sadness.
“There are two ways to express emotions—healthy and unhealthy. Children can manage their aggression through writing, engaging in various activities, or participating in sports. These outlets allow them to release aggression in a constructive manner. Unfortunately, many people resort to aggression to communicate their feelings. It’s instilled in us that our views won't be heard unless expressed with aggression. When children observe this behaviour in their parents, they internalise it,” Hazarika noted.
Children can manage their aggression through writing (Representational Image)
Queah also noted that one must consider fractured socio-economic families or mental health backgrounds of children as factors before evaluating the aggressive behaviour in them.
“For instance, a child with ADHD may exhibit disruptive behaviour out of frustration when struggling to meet academic expectations. The math is simple: positive inputs lead to positive outputs. However, nurturing violence in families, on social media, in video games, or in movies will inevitably produce violent outcomes.”
Parents’ role
As children enter their teenage years, they naturally seek privacy; however, it remains crucial for parents to stay vigilant about their activities. To strike a balance, Hazarika advised, “Parents should establish clear boundaries by allowing their children to keep certain matters private while also stressing the importance of sharing specific information with adults. It's essential to instil confidence in children so they feel comfortable coming forward when they make mistakes.”
Queah stressed on the importance of providing timely social protection and childcare support for at-risk families, child protection policies in schools, and a culture of non-violence in families, schools, and online spaces.
“Additionally, dismantling patriarchal value systems and harmful traditional practices, providing education on child protection and sexual health, prohibiting corporal punishment, establishing robust mental health support, and involving parents in matters affecting children are crucial measures,” he said.
