The outrageous incident of an alleged corporal punishment at Maikona Girls Secondary school in Marsabit County, where 36 students sustained injuries after brutally beaten by their teachers for failing to celebrate their return from music competition recently sparked national outrage, prompting the Ministry of Education to launch a formal investigation to address the quest for students’ security and wellbeing in the hands of teachers.
The incident woken the outlawed act of punitive punishment in schools. Students subjected to corporal punishment is something completely banned and individuals found culprits have no choice but to face disciplinary measures in line with the law.
Corporal punishment is an act of physical violence that is inflicted to create an overall threatening school atmosphere that suppress students’ ability to perform academically.
According to the enactment of the Basic Education Act, 2013, corporal punishment in schools was outlawed by prohibiting all forms of physical and degrading punishment.
This enactment forces teachers to put into consideration better forms of disciplining students rather than causing physical harm, emotional trauma and a long term psychological damage to learners.
Basing on research, corporal punishment is not an effective long term solution for discipline and can lead to increased aggression and behavioral problems.
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Teachers need to promote students wellbeing as well as academic success by creating a positive and supportive environment. Corporal punishment only ignites depression, anger, fear and harmful effects that prevents academic success and violates children rights and dignity.
Its high time teachers embrace strategies that can promote positive behavior and a supportive learning environment. Such strategies include:
Establishing clear rules and expectations of behavior from students. This would help them align to expectations and avoid being on the wrong side with the teachers and school fraternity.
Implementing a reward system for good behavior. Who wouldn’t want to be rewarded or to receive special privileges? Teachers can set various kind of rewards to honor discipline, handwork and socially responsible students. This will create competitive excellence per student hence achieve the moral uprightness.
As a teacher, understand the needs and challenges of your students is key. Recognizing and addressing the needs of students at a student-teacher level enhances good relations and respect rather than creating distance and fear through corporal punishments.
Practicing the act of active listening and responding to the concerns of students creates a conducive learning environment and enhances interpersonal relationships.
Having a school supportive environment which is safe and inclusive will help students to feel valued and supported in their social and academic work. This will offer emotional support that student could have missed in the spheres of education.
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Teachers can also improve on collaboration with parents and guardians to support student behavior and well-being for an impressive results.
Encouraging students to take responsibility for their actions is a smart way of disciplining student. It not only helps the student to correct the wrong done but it also helps him /her to develop problem solving skills.
With this act in place, teachers risk losing their jobs as parents push for legal measures to be taken, others even opt to withdraw their children from these schools to protect them from physical harm not minding the learning disruptions, a situation that can be avoided.
With the already digital disruption and wake of the new generation, corporal punishment only worsen the situation. Students are more exposed and suppressing their knowledge will only result to harmful aggression which will definitely destroy the moral fabric in our society.
A call to teacher professionalism is core in settling the wave of academic discipline and moral shape up.
Corporal punishment in schools is a destructive form of discipline. Students cannot thrive in such educational environment, it is a harsh and threatening disciplinary tactic that has to be done with.
By Jaymie Daisie
Jaymie Daisie is a Writer and Broadcast Journalist.
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