Suspend undisciplined pupils

IN 1994 with the dawn of our new democracy in South Africa many changes were made that were in line with human rights principles, constitutional laws and the Bill of Rights.

In the educational departments, corporal punishment was abolished in all our schools. This physical punishment on scholars by teachers infringing on school laws and rules was now due to this abolition a criminal offence.

The big question that still is very clouded is what form of punishment would ensure scholars remain disciplined or what legal threat would hang over scholars heads not to infringe teachers’ authority.

Teachers can never ever be given training to deal with discipline infringements as the question is what training curriculum can deal with discipline.

The national minister of education with all role-players can implement that scholars who infringe must be sentenced to lengthy suspension from any school.

There must also be a national record holding database of names of scholars, the school, the infringement and the sentenced suspension period and if chronic a total life-long suspension from all schools. The teachers hands are at present tied, but this proposal will strengthen their authority. This is the training teachers must receive to implement this system legally.

To conclude with a personal quote: “Sentences can be implemented without getting physical.”

KEITH ALFRED ADOLPH BLAKE Ottery