FREESTATE- The Department of Education has instituted an investigation into an alleged incident of corporal punishment administered last week by the principal of Ntsu Secondary School in Bethlehem in the Thabo Mofutsanyane District.
In a statement, department spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, said corporal punishment against any learner is condemned in the harshest possible terms. Corporal punishment is banned and may not be used as a method of enforcing discipline in schools.
“Principals, educators, learners, parents and/or any support staff are required to report the use of corporal punishment following the prescripts contained in the protocol to deal with incidences of corporal punishment in schools. “Harsh action will be taken against anyone who violates the prohibition on corporal punishment,” said Ndaba.
He said images depicted on various social media platforms indicate that the principal of Ntsu Secondary used corporal punishment as a way to discipline a learner who reportedly failed to comply with the detention sanction conditions at school.
“Corporal punishment is a violation of children’s rights, physical integrity, dignity, health, development, education,” the spokesperson said.
The effects of corporal punishment are far-reaching and can cause mental and physical harm to children, as well as short- and long-term aggression and antisocial behaviour in learners, even as they mature.
Crucially, Ndaba said, corporal punishment is not a solution to disciplinary problems in a school or any other setting. The department has commenced with an investigation into the incident and will work with urgency to establish the facts.
However, there are still many people who believe corporal punishment should not be abolished. Sitting the case of China and Korea who have developed a roadmap to corporal punishment, which helps draw the line between punishment and abuse.
Many parent also welcome corporal punishment, saying Corporal punishment will act as deterrent for hard-core students. When we have parents who are lax when it comes to disciplining their children, and teachers who are very lenient with their students, we will have a next generation which is not very well behaved and not well disciplined.
When our children are treated leniently, they are likely to carry this practice on to their offspring when they grow up. And so we will end up with the next generation of youngsters not knowing respect, politeness, courtesy and self-discipline, and we certainly do not want to see this happen.
Did you know current American law looks at children as property? We know most civilized countries have banned corporal punishment but it is legal in the USA. Join us for this dynamic and thought-provoking conversation: https://t.co/PNcBtwlpye @Marci_Hamilton @Marci_Hamilton pic.twitter.com/9AfMZZz6Nz
— Steven Hassan, PhD (@CultExpert) January 30, 2023
A kind of corporal punishment called “caning” https://t.co/vdpHdVx7N6
— Anastasia (@CaliforniaPsy) January 29, 2023
The mistake the govt made was to remove corporal punishment in schools without replacing it with something else. Corporal punishment should be back. There’s no way our teaching staff can go study for years only to be disrespected by some insolent floozy/thuggish, low morals kid.
— Man’s NOT Barry Roux (@AdvoBarryRoux) January 28, 2023
Gentle parenting with a dash of corporal punishment here and there.👍🏾👍🏾👌🏾
— Majola 🐍🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 (@Zimasabuhle) January 29, 2023
Twitter for mental health 😂
A state in America is bringing back corporal punishment back to school because they have tried this thing you are echoing for decades and it failed.
One of many reason their is shortage of teachers in the UK is because they tried what you are https://t.co/QBl02wkoJX
— Experience (@Sir_Experience) January 29, 2023
consequences of abolishing corporal punishment
— Long Rod Van Hugen Dong (@LongRodVanHuge2) February 3, 2023
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