Corporal Punishment In Schools: What Does The Law Says?

Would it be out of place to state that some teachers are impatient
with children entrusted in their care and as such, government
should establish laws to regulate discipline in schools? Kuni Tyessi
takes a look at corporal punishment and Nigeria’s educational
system
Schools are social institutions and sometimes religious which have
been formed and accepted by various communities due to life-
time lessons they impart in the lives of children and adults alike.
These lessons have become necessary and sometimes mandatory
especially the formal education which is an open door to all of
life’s verisimilitudes.
Schools cannot function without teachers just like farmlands
cannot function without the farmer and his tools. With this
established fact, the question then is: What kind of teachers do
proprietors of schools employ these days? It was in the news last
year that a teacher in Edo State beat up a pupil with a bunch of
broom, simply because she failed arithmetic. As if that was not
enough, she had accused her of being a witch and was responsible
for all the problems in the school and in the life of the teacher. In
the process of flogging the girl which reports says started with a
cane, and then a bunch of a broom, the right eye of the girl got
damaged and medical experts in the country have said is beyond
repairs. The minor through her family is demanding for a
compensation of 100 million naira.
Teachers used to be the role models of many children but this is
not the case anymore. Some might say thanks to the stipends
paid to teachers at the end of each month. But that is not the
case as teaching is a noble profession that should be appreciated
and admired if only Nigeria can take a cue from other countries.
But what could have made a teacher, a married woman and
supposedly a mother to beat up a girl to the extent of damaging
an eye? Carelessness, wickedness, transfer of aggression, and the
list continue to grow, will likely be the reasons for such. However,
there should be a searchlight that should be beamed in all the
carnies as there might be more than meets the eye.
Already, it is no longer news to say that our public schools have
become mere dumping grounds for house helps and children of the
less privilege. This is not necessarily because of the low standard
of education when compared to private elitist schools and also
based on the tuition fees. But because of the lack of facilities and
deplorable conditions which in turn affects the psyche of teachers
and students as well as pupils alike. But should this reason, as
convincing as it looks be a reason for such?
A close study at our educational system has revealed that many
teachers pass through our tertiary institutions but do not allow
the classical dictates that serves as the foundation of the
establishments of the institutions to pass through them, as this
has proven that some of them cannot effectively communicate in
the imperial language referred to as English, the language of
power. That is not all. Some of them lack the basic principles to
teach and train the children in their care. With these short
comings, how then can they be effective in dispensing knowledge
as they cannot give out what they do not have and to make
matters worse, if they are being corrected by the children in their
custody?
A chat with an educationist with the Nasarawa State government
who pleaded anonymity disclosed that the rules of education
concerning discipline states that students must be corrected in
love and understanding which is basically what the Holy books
propagate. He revealed that punishment of any kind must be
documented in a punishment register as even the administration of
discipline must be done with some form of order. But as it is,
many educationists forget this rule/lesson as soon as they start
teaching.
He further said that in the ethics of the profession, teachers were
not permitted to discipline students as it was only the principal or
head teacher who had the right to do so and whenever
punishment was to be administered especially if a cane was
involved, the hand of the principal or head teacher must not be
above arms length.
By and large, he was of the opinion that counseling most of the
time provided and yielded better results than corporal punishment
which if not properly administered could lead to low self esteem in
the student which will invariably affect the performance of the
student.
Every day we hear about the constitution, its amendment in part or
in whole, fundamental human rights that has to do with women
and children who suffer double oppression in every society, acts,
bills and sections and all the balderdash that has to do with
having a good and vibrant society which is devoid of crimes based
on the laws that govern the Nigerian society. With all of these, the
constitution cannot be said to be complete as the issue of
teachers and how they discipline their students whether in passive
is not been mentioned.