Private School In Sialkot was registered by the police with an FIR

What started as a merry school funfair in the suburban setting of Chobara, Sialkot is now a country wide debate on accountability, school control and cultural sensitivity in schools. The festival which was supposed to offer the students a merry break to their regular studies was put to test after a video of the fair was published on the social network sites in a viral context.

The video captured schoolchildren celebrating to the Bollywood song, Lehnga by Diljit Dosanjh that was played loudly at the event. Although the children looked innocent and carefree, the lyrics in the song, which had allusions to alcohol and adult subjects, caused people to respond strongly to the song.

FIR Registered against School Principal

After massive criticism, the principal of the private school at the Sabz Pir Police Station was registered by the police with an FIR. The case as officials put it was on the grounds of negligence and poor judgment and family deliberated on the basis of inappropriate supervision of the school orchestrated activity.

The officials explained that the prosecution is not against the children in the video. Rather, the blaming has been put directly on the shoulders of school administration and personnel who are supposed to be particularly sensitive about the type of entertainment offered in the schools to young children.

Governments Focus on Responsibility, not Reform

Police and education authorities were quick to emphasize the fact that the children were only reacting to the rhythm and music, and not the content of the words. It was said they were doing what was natural, spontaneous, and without any idea of the adult undertones of the song.

According to one of the officials, it is the adults who should be blamed, but schools should be very careful about the music and activities they choose when hosting some public events. The FIR is a reminder and not a crackdown, it is another message that educational settings need to be attentively supervised at any given time.

Reaction and Public Debate on the Social Media

The video was spreading fast on the Internet, which provoked a wider discussion in Pakistan. School authorities were called to judgment by many of the users, but it was also the restraint which was called in by others who said school activities were being over-criminalized.

The event has brought back the debate on cultural appropriateness, the role of social media and responsibility in schools being on a thin line. Even parents, educators and policy makers are demanding a straightforward guideline on the management of extracurricular activities.

The difficulty of achieving a balance between recreation and responsibility in schools is less than it seems; however, it requires a significant amount of time, effort, and study.

Social and emotional development of a child depends greatly on recreational activities. Activities such as funfairs promote creativity, confidence and teamwork. Nonetheless, reality has made the authorities reiterate that such activities should be planned in a considerate manner so that they can be in tandem with the educational values and age related norms.

The Sialkot school funfair FIR reminds of the increased necessity to arrange the control over school events, in the time when one video may cause the nationwide buzz in several hours.

The lesson should be beyond the classroom

As the case is going through the courts, the experience will serve as a greater lesson to the schools within the nation. Not only are schools places of learning but they are places where values, discipline and judgment are practiced.

With the government persisting in focusing more on Supervision rather than Punishment, there is still hope that this case will result in better planning, more rational policies and safer places where the children can enjoy learning inside and outside the classroom.

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