Corporal punishment is still widespread in some schools, despite the fact that it is illegal according to the Minister’s Press release. Looking at statistics, more than 50% of children from state schools said they had received corporal punishment. The Minister of Secondary Education Prof Pauline Nalova Lyonga therefore insisted that any teacher who wants to sanction a student in school must do so in strict compliance with the terms of article V of the 1998 law, which prescribes the respect of the child’s dignity.
Flogging
Flogging is one of the most common forms of punishment given to students. Majority of students say they are often flogged for the slightest error, which has caused many children to abandon school. Other forms of punishment in schools however include punishing the kids to stand in various positions for long periods or flogging them publicly, an act totally condemned by the Minister of Secondary Education who insisted that schools caught inflicting pains on students shall be severely sanctioned.
“Any teacher caught punishing a student will be seriously sanctioned”. The Minister of Secondary Education Prof Pauline Nalova Lyonga made the statement recently in a press release where she insisted that corporal punishment has been banned in schools.