Strengthen economy

The economy of the country is deteriorating by the day — partly because of the armed conflict and largely because of the government’s lackadaisical strategy and lack of vision. Apart from the colossal harm inflicted on the economy due to frequent strikes called by the Maoists and destruction of infrastructure, the government has not implemented pragmatic policy to carry out development work and deliver services to the people. Aid worth hundreds of millions of dollars comes to the country every year in the name of social, economic, infrastructure and educational development. The government too has set targets for these. However, nothing has improved and all plans lie only on paper. And people do not know what has happened to all that aid. Though the government is continuing to receive economic assistance from donors, the government is not at all serious in restoring peace without which development cannot take place. Instead of wasting aid, the government should learn to use it to help the economically and socially backward groups and for the overall development of the country. It is good that the donors still wish well for Nepal and aid continues to come in. The government needs to be serious and farsighted to improve the state of economy.

Tabish Q Hashmi, Bhadrapur

Spare the rod

A recent study supervised by Hatemalo Sanchar has revealed that 87 per cent of the Valley teachers resort to corporal punishment. This depicts a grim scenario in the educational institutions in the capital city. The situation in the rural areas is rather appalling where even harsher punitive measures such as locking the students inside the toilet, making them stand in the scorching sun and severe beating are common. These ruthless ways of punishment leave an indelible psychological trauma. The students will lose confidence and leadership qualities. Parents too sometimes resort to such punishments mistakenly perceiving that it would actually enhance their children’s learning aptitude. There are alternative means of rectifying the misdeeds and mistakes of the students such as through persuasion, ample assignments and good behaviour. Moreover, teachers themselves need psychological grooming as to how to handle the students in class. Time has come to initiate strict monitoring of unwarranted practices of corporal punishment in schools and to take action against those teachers practicing corporal punishment. The revelations and findings in this regard will certainly be an eye-opener to many.

Jyotsna Rai, Min Bhawan

Unfortunate

The powerful tsunami, which hit the coastal regions of Asia on December 26, has brought unprecedented misery to the people in the region. After this disaster, the media has been flooding us with traumatic stories of death and miraculous survivals. I read the article titled “Mom’s trauma: Which son to hold, whom to free” published in The Himalayan Times on January 3. Jillian Searle, an Australian women, had to let go off her elder son as she could save only one of her child.

Many such unfortunate stories have been coming in the media and it is really heartbreaking to hear the victim’s grief. I express my deep sympathy for the tsunami victims and their families and request all to unite and help those in distress in whatever ways we can.

Prem B Budha, Salyan