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OTISO: Take action on schools practising corporal punishment

Despite it's banning, it is still persistent in some schools.

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by DAMARIS KIILU

Opinion24 August 2022 - 01:00
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In Summary


  • •Apart from being banned, corporal punishment is unlawful and is prohibited in the Basic Education Act 2013.
  • •In addition, this is a human violation that calls for stern action for perpetrators of this shocking issue.

The Ministry of Education banned corporal punishment in the 2000s, meaning no school is allowed to practice it.

Despite the directive, corporal punishment is still persistent in some schools.

This is evident from the undated video that circulated on social media platforms a month ago.

In the video, a pupil was seen crying and his body had bruises. 

According to reports, the pupil was whipped by teachers due to poor performance.

The incident was not received well by Kenyans and his guardians.

This is not the first time or the second time, we are receiving reports of the same matter.

In 2018 a teacher canned a pupil for failing to do her menial work and this left her with injuries.

This is just among the many cases witnessed and some go unreported.

Apart from being banned, corporal punishment is unlawful and is prohibited in the Basic Education Act 2013.

In addition, this is a human violation that calls for stern action for perpetrators of this shocking issue.

It is not only in school where children are facing corporal punishment, the same happens in various homes where parents are major participants in installing unlawful punishments for their children.

A good number of parents and guardians have severally found themselves caning their kids in the name of disciplining them.

Experts say this causes devastating effects on children.

It is high time for parents and teachers to stop caning children. They turn out to be rebellious. 

That is not the only way to ensure they are disciplined. 

Corporal punishment is illegal and creates physical, mental and psychological effects on victims this is according to recent research conducted by Harvard University.

Beating children has an impact on a child's brain responses and alerts perception of threats.

Many parents believe that this is the best and most effective way of correcting wrongs but unfortunate it is not.

When children are exposed to corporal punishment, they become resistant to caning. 

These children end up in criminal activities because they have nothing to be afraid of. 

According to mental experts, exposing children to corporal punishment creates depression and stress in their life and this affects their performance.

The government should intervene and tackle this worrying issue.

Some students and pupils are suffering in silence in their respective schools since they fear being reprimanded by the teachers.

I encourage them to speak up so that a lasting solution can be found.

Law enforcers should also arrest parents who still practice corporal punishment.

I urge parents to use other means of disciplining their children.

Teachers should learn that canning learners will not in any way improve their performance. 

Let's act to end this old-fashioned act to make our children better.

Student Rongo University

 

Edited by Kiilu Damaris

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