UNICEF and the ministry of education set to put an end to corporal punishment.
At a two-day National Awareness Creation Meeting on Ending Corporal Punishment in Schools, set up by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), in collaboration with UNICEF, the Chief of Education of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Saadhna Panday-Soobrayan, revealed that over 85 percent of Nigerian children from age 1 to 14 suffer violent discipline in schools by having to endure severe physical punishment. The statistic of children who experience these punishments is alarming, therefore, urgent action should be taken before it turns out to be a crisis.
Corporal punishment is a physical punishment with the motive of causing physical pain to a person. In many occasions, when it is a child that is being corrected, either in a home or school setting, the method is usually spanking or paddling. It is believed that it is a form of discipline that sets clear boundaries and motivations for children, when used in moderation. Although in about 63 countries, mostly Europe and Latin America, corporal punishment has been banned in the home and at school.
The decision to end corporal punishment seems difficult.
Many of the violent discipline inflicted on the children occurs under the guise of corporal punishment in educational institutes that are established for the safety of children, development of respect for human rights and preparation of the children for life in a society that encourages peace, understanding, and conflict resolution through dialogue. However, the deliberation on putting an end to corporal punishment in schools is a difficult decision to make, even though the presence of participants at the meeting suggest their focus to protect the right of every child to safety, well-being, and quality education.
The Chief of Education, UNICEF, further stated that the continuance of violent discipline in schools disagrees with the National Policy on Safety, Nigeria; Security and Violence-Free Schools, and its commitment to zero tolerance to any form of threat to the security of life and property in schools. Also, she urged that the practice of monitoring Nigeria’s progress toward SDG 3 to achieve good health and well being, and SDG 4 concerning equitable and inclusive education, is emphasized.
Adamu Adamu endorsed the action plan to end corporal punishment.
In addition, with reference to the Child’s Right Act that was passed into law in 2003, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu , represented by Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, approved the action plan and roadmap for putting an end to corporal punishments in schools. With this action, children’s rights are being protected, so as to enable them to live a life void of any form of violence, and instilled with positive impacts on school attendances, learning, and results.
Although, studies have proven in Nigeria, that corporal punishment is one of the major factors that fights against retention and transition of students in schools, with great implications on the educational system and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG4); the Registrar of TRCN, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, also revealed the presence of the paradigm shift from corporal punishment in schools, due to its negative effects on pupils, and its inefficiency towards maintaining behavior and discipline.
Learning should be positive for children, and not traumatic.
According to Prof. Ajiboye, the negative outcomes of corporal punishments outweigh the positive outcomes, during the course of teaching and learning. Otherwise, the learning experience of children is supposed to be fun and positive without any form of traumatic experience. To crown it all, the World Bank Senior Education Specialist, Prof. Tunde Adekola, amidst emphasizing the need to urgently implement the action plan against corporal punishment in Schools, said that according to the global bank, there exists a correlation between learning, poverty, and corporal punishment.
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Too much of punishment lead to negative outcome on student it cause traumatic experience, teaching and learn were to be sweet so the student will experience good things and bring out positive outcome if teacher is too harsh on student it will affect them some might not want to come to school because of harsh punishment so they are to be treat gently so they can grab what they are teaching them
To an extent I understand why UNICEF is trying to ensure corporal punishment is stopped in our schools. Like the article said, learning is not meant to be traumatic. There are are other ways to discipline students. Using corporal punishment might make the students feel maligned and abused. It is important for teachers to learn how they can easily discipline their students without physically or psychologically abusing them
I’m not in support of stopping corporal punishment because that’s the way to instill discipline in all these kids,I remember good old days our seniors then do punish us and we came out better but unnecessary punishment can be stopped.
This is Nigeria not USA or England where children can misbehave in school without punishment. When a child misbehave sometimes he or she deserve the little punishment so that he will take correction
Torturing children under the guise of discipline has to be crazy. Who said correction has to be done by inflicting pain. Then these children grow and become aggressive, and we wonder how and why. We don’t get to be picky about what form of violence is right. Violence is violence. How is torturing a child under the guise of discipline justified buh a grown man beating his fellow grown man or woman considered assault. Make that make sense. People only inflict pain yo express anger not because they tryna correct you. Clearly we are not ready for that conversation.
Corporal punishment shouldn’t be allowed anymore this is 2022, we’re not in the olden days that children have to be flogged before they learn.
The number of youngsters who are subjected to these types of punishments is disturbing, and as a result, there is an urgent need to take action before the situation escalates into a crisis.
I don’t buy this idea of banning corporal punishment in schools. This method of correction is effective here in Nigeria. What can be done is to put limitation rather than banning. We are quite aware of what is going on in these country where corporal punishment in schools has being banned how their students misbehave . I am not in support of banning corporal punishment in schools.
Corporal punishment in schools can be brought to minimal but outrightly banning it in schools is not okay for this kind of our system else we are toiling with increase in juvenile delinquency amongs the teenagers. We can’t allow what is going on in countries that banning has being approved to repeat itself here in Nigeria.
Corporal punishment needs to stand as it is the most effective way to correct students here in Nigeria but it must not be elevated to the level of Inflicting too much pain which can be distressing for the students.
I personally don’t fancy this corporal punishment of a thing, Me I can’t allow any teacher to flog my child to the point of the child having marks on the body, no way.
I’m not in support of this…No way!!
Teachers should to learn how they can easily communicate and discipline their students without abuse or causing any harm.
If Corporal punishment is to be eradicate in schools,Nigeria will need to put there law in use to put checkmate to excessive misuse of the opportunity by the student.
They have been flogging pupils since forever and it has been working so why change now, I don’t think they should stop
It is widely held that it is a sort of discipline that teaches children distinct limits and the reasons for which they should strive,
Under the pretence of corporal punishment, many forms of harsh discipline are administered to children; therefore, this form of discipline need to be abolished.
There are some children that if you flog them from now till next year that won’t still stop them from doing what’s in their mind, so I don’t really believe this method still works
Corporal punishment In Nigeria has given parents and teachers an avenue to be hurting theirs students and kids under the disguise of disciplining them. This is totally wrong and needs to end
By taking these fresh steps, children’s rights are being protected, which will make it possible for them to lead lives free from any kind of physical or emotional abuse.
Even while the participation of participants at the meeting suggests their attention to defend the right of every child to safety, well-being, and excellent education, the consideration on putting an end to the use of physical punishment in educational settings is a difficult decision to make.
Studies conducted in Nigeria have shown that the use of physical discipline on pupils is one of the primary factors that contributes to the country’s high dropout rate and high school graduation rate.