Children’s ears are not in their buttocks
Dec 17, 2008
EDITOR—On December 14, the Sunday Vision published an article entitled “Bukedea RDC okays caning in schoolsâ€. That story must not go unchallenged. According to the story, the Bukedea RDC, Tom Omongole Aisu openly advocated caning of pupils and students in the school system.
EDITOR—On December 14, the Sunday Vision published an article entitled “Bukedea RDC okays caning in schoolsâ€. That story must not go unchallenged. According to the story, the Bukedea RDC, Tom Omongole Aisu openly advocated caning of pupils and students in the school system.
I have been a champion of “Happy School Years Experience†for students around the world and will not let our own children be subject to acts of brutality from teachers. Persons in position of responsibility like an RDC should not okay caning or acts that violate human rights.
Back in the days, the schools system relied heavily on the colonial misconception that the “ears of the African child is in the buttocksâ€! As a result, they simply whipped pupils for all sorts of unreasonable excuses. In elementary school, we dreaded going to school because of canes.
Most of our primary school teachers are low-income earners, poorly trained and yet have to rely on years of experience to transcribe academic materials. Most of them struggle with language, frustration from unpaid salary arrears or getting their salaries very late.
The RDC should advocate improving teacher training to boost the quality of teaching and teacher-student rapport other than caning. The teaching methods in schools are rudimentary, forceful and violent on the learner.
This violence is what we see reflected in our societies. Caning is such an example of methods that have been used to hurt children’s feelings early in life. It inculcates fear, maintains authoritarianism and equates education with utmost forms of brutality for children. Teachers and parents should work together to nurture our children.
Morris Komakech
Toronto, Canada
I have been a champion of “Happy School Years Experience†for students around the world and will not let our own children be subject to acts of brutality from teachers. Persons in position of responsibility like an RDC should not okay caning or acts that violate human rights.
Back in the days, the schools system relied heavily on the colonial misconception that the “ears of the African child is in the buttocksâ€! As a result, they simply whipped pupils for all sorts of unreasonable excuses. In elementary school, we dreaded going to school because of canes.
Most of our primary school teachers are low-income earners, poorly trained and yet have to rely on years of experience to transcribe academic materials. Most of them struggle with language, frustration from unpaid salary arrears or getting their salaries very late.
The RDC should advocate improving teacher training to boost the quality of teaching and teacher-student rapport other than caning. The teaching methods in schools are rudimentary, forceful and violent on the learner.
This violence is what we see reflected in our societies. Caning is such an example of methods that have been used to hurt children’s feelings early in life. It inculcates fear, maintains authoritarianism and equates education with utmost forms of brutality for children. Teachers and parents should work together to nurture our children.
Morris Komakech
Toronto, Canada