The Council of Student Teachers (COST) has urged responsible authorities to legalise corporal punishment in schools to curb juvenile delinquency.
Corporal punishment (caning) was outlawed in schools in 2017 through a High Court ruling that declared article 60(2)(c) of the Education Act unconstitutional.
COST president Walter Muzawazi on Sunday said that he agrees with Senators who recently called for the restoration of corporal punishment. Muzawazi tweeted:
<blockquote>
For the sake of the future of our children, students and youths, corporal punishment as proposed by Senator Tambudzani Mohadi (Matabeleland South) and Senator Chief Witness Chikwaka should be legalised in schools.
The increase in youths in prisons for murder, rape, malicious damage to property, physical/domestic violence as well as theft is all because of the ban on corporal punishment.
</blockquote>
Last week, senators, among them Chief Chikwaka and Tambudzani Mohadi spoke in favour of caning, saying laws should be aligned to the country’s cultural values and norms.
However, Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president Obert Masaraure said corporal punishment may foster a culture of violence in children. He said:
<blockquote>
There are countless ways of punishing our children other than corporal punishment, which inculcates a culture of violence in our children.
They will grow up deploying violence as a means of resolving conflicts and disputes.
</blockquote>
Section 53 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that no person may be subjected to physical or psychological torture, or to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment.
Human rights activists argue that corporal punishment is unconstitutional.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/04/student-teachers-want-corporal-punishment-back/">NewsDay</a></h4>

Pindula News

Student Teachers Want Corporal Punishment Back

Senators on Thursday demanded the repeal of a law banning corporal punishment (caning) saying children are increasingly becoming indisciplined.
The senators said since the banning of corporal punishment, children have become rouge and are now indulging in illicit drugs and abscond school.
Contributing to the debate, Beitbridge senator Tambudzani Mohadi said indiscipline has resulted in unbridled drug abuse which is now destroying the lives of youths. She said:
<blockquote>
I come from Matabeleland South where we have border areas like Plumtree and Beitbridge, children do not even know what schools are because of drugs. They are always high on drugs.
It is said that there are drugs that are called mutoriro, musombodhiya and mbanje. They will be idle for a long time while intoxicated.
Even if they are to go to school, teachers always face difficulties trying to get them to be attentive in class. They are not healthy because of these drugs.
Every time they take the drugs, they forget that they are supposed to take a bath, eat, and dress in clean clothes.
They do not stay on the job because of the influence of these drugs. Today’s future consists of drunkards who do not even know where they reside.
They do not even know what they are doing when they are drunk. The problem is that at times when you report the drug peddlers to our law enforcement officers, in other instances are paid in a corrupt manner and our efforts go unnoticed.
</blockquote>
Another senator, Chief Chikwaka, said the only way to deal with the problem of drug abuse was to restore corporal punishment. He said:
<blockquote>
A nation without laws, a nation without culture is not a nation. I am appealing that we go back to the drawing board, to our culture and ensure that we discipline our children so that they know that taking or abuse of drugs destroys the nation.
</blockquote>
The use of corporal punishment as a disciplinary measure for ill-behaviour in Zimbabwe’s schools was banned in 2017 through a High Court ruling that declared article 60(2) (c) of the Educational Act unconstitutional.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/parliament-wants-corporal-punishment-legally-permitted-as-children-turn-rogue/">New Zimbabwe</a></h4>

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