Corpun file 26624 at www.corpun.com
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, China, 6 September 2018
Call to restore corporal punishment in Zambian schools causes controversy
By Mu Xuequan
LUSAKA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Call by a local organization to reintroduce corporal punishment to instill discipline in schools has sparked controversy after such punishment was banned for more than a decade in the southern African country.
Last week, the National Action for Quality Education in Zambia called for the reintroduction of corporal punishment at both public and private schools to restore discipline among learners.
Aaron Chansa, the organization's executive director said untold indiscipline has crept into Zambian schools after corporal punishment was abolished in 2004.
According to him, the lack of discipline among learners is making it difficult for teachers to effectively discharge their duties.
"This indiscipline among our pupils is greatly affecting teaching and learning in Zambia. Today, teachers are finding it very difficult to meaningfully discharge their duties due to too much indiscipline among learners," he said.
However, the call has received mixed reaction from various sections of society. Some feel that abolishing corporal punishment has created serious disciplinary issues in the country's schools while many others question how effective corporal punishment will be in instilling discipline among learners.
A teacher, who asked not to be named, said corporal punishment is vital in disciplining the learners as some pupils are stubborn to listen to words of mouth.
He attributed the high levels of indiscipline among learners to modernization, adding that teachers are supposed to discipline the pupils in order to modify their behavior.
