Whereas corporal punishments were abolished by the Government, some pupils in Kampala are still subjected to them, a new study says.

Corporal punishment is one intended to cause physical pain to a person.

The study, which was done in 10 schools in Kampala revealed that there was a lot of corporal punishment in them.

Dr Janet Nakigudde, the Ugandan Principal investigator, said: "We have seen children consistently going to Mulago Hospital because they have sustained injuries as a result of teachers inflicting physical pain on them".

The study titled: Social Emotional Learning in Ugandan Primary Schools, however, says teachers can discipline children without subjecting them to corporal punishments.

During the course of the study, mental health workers trained teachers in a classroom behaviour management programme and empowered them with skills on ways to desist from corporal punishments. The study revealed that if teachers can ignore a child and just look at them, this would stop them from doing whatever they are doing.

Releasing the study findings on Friday at Hilton Gardens Inn in Kampala, Nakigudde said, the programme helped teachers to stop corporal punishments and the learners were more excited to learn and liked schooling.

The teachers indicated that even when they have stopped corporal punishments on children, however, parents had not stopped and recommended that they would come up with a programme to ensure that parents also stop beating their children.

During another study, they trained tutors from national teacher colleges including Kibuli, Bulera in Hoima district and Nakaseke Core Primary Teachers College who also trained primary school teachers on classroom behaviour management and wellness.

Nakigudde said the classroom behavioural management programme had shown a positive impact on the children and parents in the US.

Education ministry principal education officer, Elizabeth Kisakye said between 2012 and 2014, they made a countrywide campaign on a safe school environment which led to the creation of departments and clubs in schools for parenting.

She emphasised a need for schools to ensure that students can also be listened to.