Corporal Punishment is an Abuse
I spent much of my early life with an elderly woman I called “Iya Olobi”. She took me in to ease my mom’s stress as a working mother, caring for me even after my mom moved to a nearby house. She nurtured me, enrolled me in school, and showered me with affection
One routine was her undressing me after school. However, one day, this routine was interrupted. I had been punished at school, though I can no longer recall the offence. My female teacher flogged with a cane, leaving marks on my back. Aware of her brutality, she warned me not to tell anyone.
When I returned home, I resisted when Iya Olobi tried to undress me, which aroused her suspicion. She eventually discovered the marks and demanded an explanation.I told her. Furious, she took me back to the school, ensuring everyone saw the marks as we walked. She confronted the teacher and the proprietor, ignored their pleas, and vowed to withdraw me from the school immediately.
Years later, watching a video of the three-year-old Abayomi Michael of Christ-Mitots School, Ikorodu, being slapped repeatedly by his teacher, reopened the mental scars of my childhood experience. The teacher’s inhumane punishment for his inability to write the number six underscores the pervasive issue of corporal punishment in Nigerian schools.
Corporal punishment is a harmful practice that has caused untold suffering and even death among children. It negatively impacts learning, mental health, and overall well-being. The government must take decisive action to prohibit it, as it has continued to perpetuate a culture of violence in education.
Even for adults, slapping constitutes a gross violation of human dignity; for a child, it is devastating. The Lagos State Ministry of Education must not only punish the teacher but also ensure the child receives proper rehabilitation to heal the physical and psychological scars.
Teachers and guardians need to understand that physical punishment does not lead to behavioral improvement or better academic performance. On the contrary, it fosters fear, resentment, and a toxic learning environment. Constructive discipline and positive reinforcement are far more effective in nurturing growth and understanding.
Kazeem Olalekan Israel, Ibadan
