SPARE the rod and spoil the child is a popular expression. Taken from Proverbs 13:24, which reads: “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him,” the verse has often been used to justify the need to spank, smack, or use corporal punishment in the home and schools.
As Section 53 of the Zimbabwe Constitution abolishes corporal punishment, and guarantees the right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the issue of outlawing corporal punishment has generated impassioned debate among parents and teachers.
With the school being one of the key primary agents of socialisation, teachers are left with a huge responsibility of instilling discipline in children of various backgrounds so that they can all adhere to shared values.
Current debates on social media show that developed countries where corporal punishment was abolished in schools 20 or 30 years ago are now battling with high cases of indiscipline with juvenile detention centres failing to cope with the increased juvenile delinquents.
The alternative methods of discipline such as detention have failed to work; children are becoming notorious every day without respect for authority, leaving the teacher and the school system powerless on the way forward.
In America, as one of the most developed nations in the world from which many nations wish to be modelled after, spanking in schools, usually with a wooden or fibreglass paddle, is still allowed by law in 19 states, while it is technically legal in the home in all 50 states.
Although statutes vary from state to state, it is generally agreed that physical punishment must be reasonable and not excessive.
With the on-going debate, Zimbabwe remains divided over the new law that outlaws corporal punishment.
Although it is in the interest of nation building to avoid breeding a culture of violence by allowing corporal punishment, the Constitution and lawmakers have as yet failed to suggest a deterrent measure as effective as corporal punishment.
The forms of discipline currently available to teachers for dealing with inappropriate behaviour remain totally inadequate.
The Zimbabwean education system has historically used corporal punishment to maintain discipline.
In advocating for an end to corporal punishment, human rights activists pointed out that the deterrent measure was part of a wider web of violence that fuelled antagonism and hatred.
Although it has been touted as an effective disciplinary measure, it is sad to note that on a daily basis, newspapers across the country tell story after story of the horrors perpetrated against children as teachers and parents fail to define the boundaries when meting out corporal punishment.
Recently, a school headmistress Modester Rubhabha (43) from Epworth, Domboramwari High School appeared in court facing a murder charge after a pupil she caned later died.
The boy had been sent to the headmistress for misbehaving in class.
In another incident, a Chitungwiza woman, Anna Chinoshava (30) was recently jailed for beating her niece to death over one rand.
In yet another incident, Dingani Maguchwa (38) of Gokwe was jailed for killing his nine year old daughter to death after accusing her of failing to remove dog waste from the family’s compound yard and in 2012.
Also, Mavis Moyo (33) was arrested for beating her 12 year old daughter to death for skipping school.
Social commentator, Tawanda Zata, said increased cases of death showed a serious case of child abuse as it was a sign of “discipline gone wrong.”
“The problem with this whole debate on corporal punishment as a disciplinary measure is always badly distorted. Whenever there is a discussion of spanking, the most extreme nature are always cited and we are left in a dilemma on what is best for the children, but in everything we do there should be fundamental respect for children and scaring them into obedience is not good for society. Sparing the rod does not always spoil the child,” Zata said.
According to the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, ccorporal punishment of children breaches their fundamental rights to respect for their human dignity and physical integrity. Its legality breaches their right to equal protection under the law.
Despite acknowledging the need to protect children’s rights especially from the increasing instances of child abuse some experts believe that some level of corporal punishment should be allowed in schools.
For social commentator, Dumisani Nkomo, corporal punishment should be there in moderation for there is need for moderated chastisement which helps in enforcing discipline.
“We cannot afford to import some things wholesale without understanding the cultural contexts of these phenomena. The level of discipline or rather indiscipline at schools is worrying and corporal punishment is one way of dealing with this. However it should be implemented in isolation but in unison with other forms of discipline such as rewarding and withdrawal of benefits,” Nkomo said.
Development expert, Hanyani Matitemba, said an increase in unruly behaviour in schools allows for the need to keep corporal punishment as a form of discipline in schools.
“Children have become uncontrollable because they are quite aware that their teachers have no power to discipline them in the way we were schooled. Parents are also to blame because they preach a lot about observation of human rights on children yet the same children are failing to observe that because in some way they do abuse their teachers by taking alcoholic substances in front of them knowing quite well that they will not be punished.”
The scriptures go further to emphasise the need discipline children in Proverbs 19:18: “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying,” but the question remains whether corporal punishment amounts to an archaic form of child abuse or an effective means of discipline?
newsdesk@fingaz.co.zw
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Sparing the rod, spoiling the child?
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