Teachers who inflict corporal punishment on students have no other option but to be removed from the school system. They will be immediately suspended without pay until their case is settled by the Court.
The case of 26 students from Saqani, who were beaten up with a hose pipe by their teacher is simply uncalled for and warrants a tougher penalty.
Since 2002, when the High Court in Lautoka ruled against the use of corporal punishment, the Education Ministry had sent out numerous reminders to teachers not to use corporal punishment to address indiscipline on students.
Thus, teachers are well aware of the “NO CORPORAL PUNISHMENT” stand and if they continue to defy this directive, then they are jeopardising their career in the teaching field. Moreover, they do not deserve a place in the classroom if they cannot control their temper.
Reports received at Head Quarters confirmed the teacher had returned from playing in the afternoon and saw that his students were playing cards. Upon enquiry and when the students gave no satisfactory response as to why they were still playing cards, the teacher then started beating up the students.
The 26 students, whose age range from 6 – 13 received bruises and one of them ended up being unconscious.
The severity of the offence leaves the Ministry with no other option but to suspend the teacher immediately. That should send a warning to all teachers that there are other means of addressing indiscipline in school and corporal punishment definitely is not one.
Filipe Bole
Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts, Youth and Sports, Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment.