By Lydia Ngoolo
“Spare the rod, spoil the Child,” is a Bible scripture that seems to have been trashed and trampled over by the contemporary society. One may argue that stroke of the cane in schools was no longer necessary given that the society was getting civilized by the day and brandishing a cane in front of a learner may land you on the wrong side of the law.
A Retired teacher and well-known disciplinarian during his days Mr. Fredrick Nthaku holds that the cane played a vital role in the up-bringing and molding of the young ones into better people in the society then.
The former Baringo High School principal who also taught and headed several other schools in the country during his heydays, puts into perspective why lack of the whip has led to an upsurge of indiscipline cases in schools.
Speaking to Education News recently at his Wamunyu home he said he did not spare the cane in his tenure.
“There is that pain which comes with caning, thus making the child work hard and stay away from bad behaviors for fear of it. In the process they acquire more knowledge, discipline and succeed in life. I’m fully in support of caning and I’m telling you lack of it has played a significant role in strikes and burning of schools today,” Nthaku.
He observed that punishments like uprooting trees stumps, digging holes, washing pavements etc wastes students’ time but not the cane which is done in a minute.
He said principals must be intelligent enough to overrule the students’ minds and always take the necessary steps to avert any planed vices by students.
The administrator added that a suggestion box in schools should never be ignored because that’s the only way the naive and cowed learners pass information to the administration.
“The bold ones speak during students’ barazas or Kamukunjis and so the principals should make the barazas as regular as possible to listen to students.
“It calls for more intelligence to administrate a school. Let the principals be friendly, firm and focused.” Said, the Retired teacher
Mwalimu was quick to point out to some issues which could be contributing to school unrest and possible solutions.
“Parental guidance was key to any child’s up bringing but in real sense parents have abdicated their parental duty and dedicate much of their time in their jobs at the expense of their children.” He said
He added that social and mainstream media and have also contributed a lot in eroding the morals among the children.
He said they learn lots of dirty things from media and always want to experiment what they see especially in Television and phones. They end up getting no time for books and are not supervised by parents.
He attested that School unrest used to be there in the past but it was minimal.
The former teacher regretted that intoxicants such as drugs, substances and alcohol are more available to the underage nowadays and children under influence of such can do anything.
He also said Parents have neglected the role of guiding their children in the right direction and to work hard and added that school mismanagement by the Principals may also cause serious conflicts between students and teachers.
“Guiding and counseling is no longer given the seriousness it deserves in schools, teachers are few and overworked thus they do not have enough time to attend to students in terms of Counseling.
The guiding and counseling department should be linked to the pastoral sessions to produce better results.” He said
However, he called for rehabilitation of students involved in strikes saying that the children can reform if closely monitored and well-structured mechanisms employed.
“They should be counseled and guided well, let them express their talents and let them build on that. No child is a waste, let’s be keen on circumstances leading to their lack of control and correct it early in time,” he added.
The Kenyan government banned corporal punishment in Kenyan schools in 2001 and enacted the Children’s Act (Government of Kenya, 2001) which entitles children to protection from all forms of abuse and violence.
Kenya is also a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations, 1990) which states that discipline involving violence is unacceptable.
Caning was abolished in schools because many teachers misused it. It only needs to be done in a lovely manner. Cane and correct with love that’s how he maintained good relationship with all his students despite canning and punishing them when on the wrong.
