CP ‘rampant’ in schools, 20 years after it was outlawed
A study in 2021 found corporal punishment was still prevalent in South Africa’s schools more than 20 years after it was outlawed.
Corporal punishment still
rampant in schools, and boys are main targets
Corporal punishment
continues to be widely used in SA schools more than 20 years after it was
outlawed.
Boys and pupils from poor
families are most likely to experience corporal punishment, according to a
study published in PLOS One.
“Boys are perceived as naughty
and mischievous compared to girls, which explains why they are more likely to
experience (corporal punishment),” it says.
Researchers polled 3,743
grade 8 pupils from 24 public schools in Tshwane. Of these,1 625 were boys.
Just over half the pupils said
they had experienced corporal punishment at school in the last six months. “It
was higher among boys compared to girls,” the study found.
“Experience of (corporal
punishment) at school amongst learners was associated with learner behaviour,
home environment, and school environment,” said a team led by Pinky Mahlangu
from the SA Medical Research Council gender and health unit.
“Learners from households
with low socio-economic status had an increased risk of (corporal punishment)
experience at school. Amongst boys, low family socio-economic status was
associated with a negative home environment and had a direct negative impact on
a learner’s mental health, directly associated with misbehaviour.”
Despite laws preventing
corporal punishment, researchers found that it is thriving.
“While addressing learner
behaviour is critical, evidence-based interventions addressing home and school
environment are needed to change the culture among teachers of using corporal
punishment to discipline adolescents and inculcate one that promotes positive
discipline,” the researchers said.
Some of the transgressions that
lead to corporal punishment include “not doing school or homework, coming late
from break, not listening to teachers, giving wrong answers in class and making
noise”.
Mahlangu’s team said:
“Learners who perform poorly at school are likely to be beaten by their
teachers and by parents and caregivers at home with the aim to encourage
improved academic performance.”
According to the study,
pupils who are subjected to corporal punishment are likely to be more
aggressive than those who are not.
Meanwhile, teachers who are
overwhelmed by personal problems and believe corporal punishment is effective
in managing classroom behaviour are likely to use it.
“There is an urgent need to
break this cycle of violence, through use of (corporal punishment), by
enforcing the law, and holding accountable those who continue to use (corporal
punishment) despite legislation prohibiting its use, but also supporting the
children in their home environment, and their parents to positively partner
with their children,” the study says.
“Furthermore, there is a
need to provide services to meet learners' mental health needs. Evidence-based
interventions are needed to support both parents and teachers in managing
learner behaviour.
“Use of positive
disciplining strategies, developing democratic relationships and consciousness
about image of a child can positively inform how parents and teachers relate
with children, critical for raising responsible children, and to curb future
perpetration of violence in society.”
Picture credit:
TimesLIVE
As published on TimesLIVE, South Africa, 14 August 2021
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