MILITARY STYLE
Students, parents decry harsh discipline measures • Ministry of Education denies imposing heavy punishment on students
The newly admitted Form four students at Seepapitso Senior Secondary School are currently experiencing severe and harsh discipline measures enforced by soldiers allegedly from the Botswana Defence Force (BDF).
The Midweek Sun has learnt that students are forced to do severe physical exercises, including distant frog jumps. They are punished for not being able to sing louder and made to walk on hot ground with their hands in the current heat wave, which ends up scalding their knees and hands. Additionally, students are compelled to salute for the Student Representative Council (SRC) members, some of whom are their peers, and allegedly forced to do push-ups if they disobey. During a visit to Seepapitso Senior School, The Midweek Sun team observed that the institution is currently under new leadership, with the new school-head implementing strict measures in the belief that they will foster greater discipline among students. When expressing their grievances to this publication, students lamented that they were not informed about compulsory choir competitions and argued that the severe punishments are excessively harsh. “We are even punished for failing to salute the SRC members, we face consequences if we ignore them,” voiced a student who was already trembling in fear. Other students said that they witnessed their peers being forced to do heavy push-ups, often with trembling hands as they are not accustomed to it. They also claim that they are punished for infractions unrelated to the curriculum or the newly introduced vocational pathway. “Some students are forced to do push-ups, even in their brand new shirts, although we were asked to bring casual clothes for the rigorous exercises. Some get punished while wearing their uniforms,” stated one of the Form four students. When contacted and asked about the rigorous exercises, some parents stated that they were never informed about the training. “There is no way we would ever allow such training, especially since two students previously died from it at Goodhope Senior School, one after the other. The training never yielded any benefits for the school, despite the loss of two students,” said the concerned parent. He further stated that the training is severe, along with the methods of punishment imposed on students. The other parent complained that none of the students were ever tested to determine if they were fit for such tedious exercises, such as frog jumps, which cover a considerable distance. “The other day, my son arrived home unable to walk properly. I have never given consent for my son to be subjected to this!” he complained. Upon enquiry of the going-ons at the school by the Southern District Education Director, Acro Maseko and the Ministry, sources at the school disclosed that a few amendments were made. This included discontinuing the practice of saluting to the SRC by students and adopting a more lenient approach towards student interactions. However, the Ministry of Education clarified that the activities mentioned are integral components of the ongoing Form Four orientation across senior schools. They further detailed that representatives from the Journey of Life Youth Academy (Scouts) and two personnel from the BDF have been invited to participate in a character-building exercise as part of the orientation program. “We believe this initiative aligns with our goal of restoring the school to its former academic excellence. There is no rigorous training taking place; rather, students are being guided on punctuality, responding to signals through whistle exercises, maintaining fitness and health, and following instructions from teachers and adults.”
The Ministry further emphasised that parents were briefed about the training during a welcome meeting on 12th and 13th March 2024 and expressed satisfaction with the initiative. The students will conclude the program with a graduation assembly on Friday morning. The training program aligns with educational standards, and schools continue to plan character-building exercises as budget permits. The Ministry further states that at the conclusion of the orientation and character-building exercise, the team will compile a comprehensive report outlining achievements and challenges for future reference.