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Experts unpack negative effects of corporal punishment
Senior researcher at the University of Cape Town’s Children’s Institute, Lucy Jamieson, says teachers need to understand that what learners are exposed to in school shapes how they view the world.
According to the researcher, a significant portion of children’s social development occurs in the school environment.
She was reacting to the 2023 brutal beating of Katlego Kgoele, allegedly, by his school principal. The scandal came to light after an angry learner leaked the picture of the 17-year-old’s badly bruised body in a bid to expose Bethuel Mooka’s alleged reign of terror at Madisong Secondary School, which is respected in Hammanskraal for its impressive annual matric pass rate.
According to certain learners, some schools in the area have also resorted to corporal punishment, which was banned in 1996, in hopes that it produces disciplined learners who later become high achievers.
However, Jamieson believes their method is actually counterproductive.
She outlines, in the clip below, the detrimental effects of corporal punishment on learners, noting that it can lead to the belief that violence is an acceptable form of communication.
The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) agrees and has urged educators to protect children from violence on their premises, saying brutality often leads to more terror.
The organisation’s executive director, Basil Manuel, is also calling on parents to stop enabling teachers’ violent behaviour by encouraging them to resort to corporal punishment to deal with children who are deemed difficult.
Non-profit organisation, Soul City Institute, has also expressed concerns over corporal punishment, stating that it can have long-lasting negative effects on learners, including fuelling negative perceptions of education and the rule of law.
The institute’s communications officer, Akona Zibonti, warns that physical punishment can leave lifelong scars, both physically and mentally.
Zibonti has urged school governing bodies to ensure that teachers adhere to the South African Schools Act, which prohibits the hitting of learners.
UCT research, Lucy Jamieson, believes teachers need to be trained on how to effectively manage classrooms.
Drawing insights from a case they presented to the Supreme Court of Appeal, which examined how teachers often lack the necessary skills to manage their classrooms without resorting to corporal punishment, she appealed to the Gauteng Education Department to step in and draw inspiration from programmes that equip schools with tools for discipline that build rather than break.
https://coalitionforgoodschools.org/regional-hubs/
Education activist, Hendrick Makaneta, has appealed to school governing bodies to play a firmer role in schools and stand against educators who disobey the law.
“SGBs can ensure adherence to the law by developing and implementing policies prohibiting corporal punishment; providing training for teachers and staff on alternative discipline methods; monitoring and addressing incidents of misconduct; promoting a safe and respectful school environment, and engaging with parents and the community,” he says.
He warns that the Kgoele’s brutal assault could could significantly impact his perception of school and relationships with adults.
“It also could potentially leading to fear and mistrust, decreased academic performance, emotional distress, difficulty forming healthy relationships, and long-term psychological effects. The school and family need to work together to provide support and ensure a safe learning environment,” he adds.
The CEO of the Governing Body Foundation, Anthea Cereseto, says Kgoele’s beating violated the Code of Ethics for Educators, the South African Schools Act as well as the country’s criminal and labour laws.
“Being assaulted by an educator does, of course, damage the relationship between the educator and learner, probably irreparably. Children who are afraid at school cannot learn. Good discipline requires a positive relationship between the educator and the learner. Where these relationships are bad, there is usually also poor discipline,” adds Cereseto.
The Gauteng Education Department says it’s investigating the incident, which has left many South Africans fuming and demanding accountability.
It revealed that another learner at Kgoele’s school was also physically assaulted by the same principal and suffered injuries on her hand as a result.
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