Corpun file 13758

East African Standard, Nairobi, 7 July 2004

State Urged to Lift Ban On Caning

By Standard Correspondent
Nairobi

The Government should consider reintroduction of caning to curb the rising unrest in schools.

Rangwe MP Philip Okundi said the ban on corporal punishment had led to an increase in indiscipline in learning institutions.

He said the Government should permit caning in schools but strictly limit it to certain extents.

"As it is often the case in human affairs, extremes are bad and it is the middle course that is expeditious, wise and best," he said.

He was speaking yesterday after making an intensive tour of Kuoyo Kochia Secondary School in Rangwe division.

He said abolition of caning in schools had occasioned gross misconduct and indiscipline among students.

He was accompanied by the DEO, Mr Richard Midamba, who said indiscipline in schools had increased because students viewed other forms of punishment apart from caning as communal work.

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