EDUCATION Experts say school girls should not be flogged
Teachers administer corporal punishment for disciplinary purposes on students especially in public schools. The punishment, which involves flogging the erring student either on the buttocks or on the hands with a whip, is meant to create a more disciplined environment.
On the other hand, while scores of educationists are of the view that corporal punishment is a humiliating way of instilling discipline and should be abolished, others believe that without it, students may take a wrong turn in life.
Recently, there was huge public outrage in Nasarawa State following a viral video on social media showing the clip of a male teacher caning female students of Government Science Secondary School Nassarawa-Eggon on their buttocks, over lateness. The state government swiftly reacted by abrogating corporal punishment in schools and suspended some teachers from the said school.
A female teacher said corporal punishment which involves flogging students is a legal means of changing undesired behaviour in the classroom but too much of it could lead to injury and even affect students’ achievements.
An educationist, Dr Ibrahim Eshi, said that flogging is an acceptable punishment for female students but because of their weakness, they should not receive strokes of the cane like their male counterparts. He said female students could be given hard labour instead of being flogged because flogging can lead to death.
He said it is inappropriate to flog female students on the buttocks during their periods.
“These practices flourished in the 60s and 70s when some of us were in school, because in those days educationists had no broad perspective on corporal punishment. They administered it at the level they wanted, even on female students. But today there are other segments that could be applied on female students,” he said.
Eshi also said that dealing with inappropriate behaviour in female schools could be very challenging, adding that the best approach for teachers to invite parents and brief them about the attitude of their wards. There, he noted, an appropriate disciplinary measure could be jointly taken.
He explained that corporal punishment doesn’t allow the authorities in students institutions.
The educationist said “in fact denying a child lessons for three days while he stays within the school premises is a good punishment.”
A retired teacher, Abubakar Ibrahim Suleiman, said that corporal punishment will not make students take their studies serious, put them under control or improve their behaviour. Flogging will rather scare students to stay away from schools, he said.
According to him, schools should employ a guidance councilor who will offer advice to troubled students and assist teachers in taking appropriate decision.
Another retired teacher, Uzokwu Chidibe, said one of the key elements in school administration is discipline and that while it is generally necessity to control students in school, it is not acceptable to use severe punishment in the process.
Teachers must devise means of talking and advising students rather than beating them, he said, because excessive canning can lead to injury and pain.
He said if punishment is necessary, it should be least humiliating and that teachers should use praise to reward students for engaging in appropriate behaviour. to in instill core discipline educational