I am finding it difficult to express my sincerest thanks both as a mother and a well-wisher to Sir Frank Peters for his relentless efforts to eliminate corporal punishment in Bangladesh schools.
I followed his anti-corporal punishment campaign since it began about five years ago. Initially I was not confident about its success. When the law banning corporal punishment in schools was introduced, I became quite optimist. But unfortunately, beatings in classrooms continued for one of my children, although he attends a 'good' school.
Both my husband and I complained to the Headmaster and the class teacher which bore no result. Reporting the matter to the police seemed pointless.
Both of my boys started hating school. It was like daily punishment for them, with or without corporal punishment. One was so distressed that he used to wet his bed the night before school holidays ended. His unhappiness tore my heart out.
Thanks to Almighty Allah, this hell of a situation came to an end earlier this year. A new progressive Headmaster arrived at the school who went to the senior classrooms, opened a general discussion on corporal punishment, read in parts from a newspaper report written by Sir Frank and asked if they agreed and solicited their opinions. He then instructed the teachers not to go for corporal punishment again. One of them didn't comply apparently and he was later dismissed.
I have been trying to write to thank Sir Frank expressing my gratitude for the happiness he has brought to our home (and, no doubt, many more families), but each time I failed to find the right words to do the same. On behalf of my family (and many more like ours) I wish him a happy New Year, from the core of our hearts and may Allah bestow on him the power and ability to work ceaselessly not only for the welfare of school children, but for the humanity at large.
Ferdous Imam and family,
Mirpur 1, Dhaka.
Happy New Year to Sir Frank Peters
FE Team | Published: December 31, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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