Torturing children at school is wrong

Bukedde newspaper recently published a story of a deputy headteacher who allegedly beat a student into coma because he came late.

Some children are even burnt for offences like stealing sh200, while others are made to sleep in the cold for petty crimes.
Many end up being hospitalised or disabled.

Although this form of punishment may sound incredible, it is not surprising to many because society okays it. Most perpetrators quote the Biblical proverb ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’, while some people even argue that they were caned and learned how to behave better as a result.

Such acts of disciplining children have affected and continue to cost our country a better and non-violent future generation.

Corporal punishments make children nervous, develop hatred for teachers and consequently lose interest in what they learn. This is why most children fake sickness, while others hide on their way to school to dodge their parents who do not listen to their issues and the unfriendly teachers at school.

Unfortunately, those that persevere with corporal punishment in schools are denied the opportunity of being creative and thinking independently, thus missing out on developing important skills that are helpful in today’s competitive world.

Another effect of corporal punishments is behavioural disorders. Most children become aggressive and violent when dealing with problems.

It advisable to think ‘outside the box’ and we come up with better ways of disciplining children, for instance, through counselling and guidance.

Although non-physical punishments demand more effort from parents and teachers, they are better and healthy alternatives for child disciplining and growth.

Tabitha Suubi,
MA student of peace and conflict studies – Makerere University