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Corporal punishment: When to draw the line?
Child Protection Society (CPS)
March 25, 2009

Corporal Punishment involves the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain but not injury for the purpose of correction or control of the child's behaviour. In some cases it is meted out to children by some teachers, prefects and regulatory authorities within schools. Corporal punishment is lawful in schools, for boys only. According to the Public Service (Disciplinary) Regulations, only the head is mandated to give corporal punishment (Statutory Instrument 65 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, 1992), although teachers may inflict punishment when given specific authority by the head.

The Secretary for Education Circular P.35 of 3 May 1993 on Corporal Punishment in Schools states that boys should be beaten on their buttocks with a light cane, girls should be beaten on their palms. Section 241 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act states that "a school-teacher shall have authority to administer moderate corporal punishment for disciplinary purposes upon any minor male pupil or student" (para 2b) and, as for parents, "where moderate corporal punishment is administered upon a minor person by a parent, guardian or school-teacher within the scope of that authority.

Within the society, teachers, parents and guardians generally believe that corporal punishment is necessary as a disciplinary measure. Adults therefore regard corporal punishment devoid of any consequences besides its immediate disciplinary purpose of making the child obedient. Traditionally there has been a perception that corporal punishment stops a child from misbehaving. The practice has been deeply engrained in traditional and religious beliefs of "sparing the rod being spoiling the child".

Adults must be made aware that physically beating children or administering any other forms of corporal punishment has negative impacts for children. There are immediate short term effects associated with effecting corporal punishment which includes regression, negative attitude towards school, teacher and parents, above all, the child can be hurt and have visible bruises. The Long term effects include increase in chances of worse behaviour, impaired learning and deliquency, depression, child abuse, and wife/husband beating.

The International Committee on the Rights of the Child (ICRC) recommends that the State party adopts appropriate legislative measures to forbid the use of any form of corporal punishment within the family and in school. Instead of effecting corporal punishment, adults should engage other different ways such as counseling the children and communicating effectively for them to realise wrong doing and rehabilitate for their betterment.

To some extent however, there is a general feeling that the use of light corporal punishment is a necessary discipline measure. There are feelings that this form of restrain is an immediate effective means of showing a child the right way to behave. However, the danger in condoning corporal punishment is that some adults may surpass the "line" and end up physically abusing the children. The question spills to the extent of physical disciplining, the visible harm caused by the act and the objects used to effect the punishment. An interesting observation from a survey by the African Child Policy Forumin 2006 is that children do not believe in severe punishment as an effective approach to teaching them how to behave. Infact in that study, more than 70 percent of them responded that they learned nothing when violence is used as a form of discipline. Rather, they indicated advising and other non-violent means to be more effective.

What are your views on the continued use of corporal punishment? lets start the debate by sending your views to advocacy@cps.org.zw

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