NACER: Corporal punishment is not the solution to school unrest

The National Assembly Committee on Education and Research (NACER) said on Friday that corporal punishment will not end arson, rioting, and general unrest in secondary schools.

According to the committee, discussion among parents, teachers and students will help solve the unrest andvrestore discipline and order schools. 

Some parents have proposed the reintroduction of corporal punishment, given that they had to pay for damages caused by rioting students.

Education CS George Magoha also supported this proposal by arguing that corporal punishment can be effective in curbing unruliness and violence.

However, NACER was skeptical about the proposal even though it said it had not delved deeper into the idea of corporal punishment. 

Committee member and Migori Woman Representative Pamela Odhiambo said, “Corporal punishment may not be the only best way to help our students do the right thing.” 

According to her, not all cases of unrest will require caning and a better solution may be guidance and counseling. 

The Education committee held the meeting at the  PrideInn Paradise Beach Hotel in Shanzu, Mombasa to interact with key stakeholders and discuss the sustainable funding of universities. 

Busia Woman Representative Florence Mutu is the chairperson of the committee. 

Since most arson occurs in dormitories, the committee also proposed the progressive reduction of boarding schools. 

The members said that with fewer boarding schools, parents will be able to have more time with their children and guide them accordingly. 

The committee is also against the haphazard transfer of teachers, particularly as national exams are about to commence. 

Odhiambo stated, “We appeal to the teacher management agency, the TSC, to consider the timing of these transfers. Let there be some order and let the status quo remain in our schools until the exams are done." 

“Let us give our schools the stability that is required to enable exams to be administered peacefully,” she added.

According to the committee, most riots are influenced by students involved in drugs.

“Regular testing and permission by heads to test students suspected of drug abuse should be done,” Odhiambo said.

Parents, teachers and students should be involved in a serious discussion through the student representatives and students’ councils, the committee advised.