Cameroon Students are protesting what they say is growing violence against them by their teachers, despite corporal punishment is unlawful in schools. The most recent case of violence was in an institution in Yaounde, where a teacher was caught on video seriously hitting the students for coming late to school, an act denounced by several parents on the social media.
African Stringers visited the institution in Yaounde, and the students said this has been going on for quite some time now.
“It has been continuing for a long time,” said a student. “Using corporal punishment has never stopped in our school. We would be given strokes with a pipe each time we come late to school. The teacher won’t even take time to find out what is the cause the late coming.”
“Some parents still believe that corporal punishment is right. All the learners are against that. On September 26th, we decided to capture him [on camera] while he beat the latecomers at the gate. We wanted to get attention from the Parents and the Ministry of Secondary Education. We know our rights and we are aware that corporal punishment is unacceptable in schools,” said the learner”.
Some officials from the Ministry of Secondary Education said they had been made aware of the video.
“We will send our officials to go to the school to verify this … We will not hesitate to take disciplinary action.”
Another learner said: “I live with my younger brother whom I have to take to crèche. Our mother is a domestic worker. She doesn’t stay with us. I have to wake up and bathe him before getting ready for school. His crèche opens later and that delays me from getting to school on time. I have tried to explain my reasons. I’m used to getting strokes every day. We get beaten for minor things sometimes.”
A parent said, parents at the school are divided on the issue.
“I believe that the school should have punishment but not corporal punishment. Some parents still believe in corporal punishment … I saw the video and it did not sit well with me,” she said.
“It is rude for learners to come late. Some of them have valid reasons … Parents have also discussed the matter but we don’t see eye to eye. That is the problem at the moment. The school must abide by the rules that are set to guide them on how to operate,” she said.