Parents Association Demands Investigation into Corporal Punishment in Schools
The National Parents Association has expressed concern about the increase in cases of corporal punishment in schools and has called for the formation of a task force to investigate the matter.
The Chair of the association, Silas Obuhatsa, has said that recent cases have shown that teachers are taking the law into their own hands, and that they have been “terribly punishing and injuring young children in schools without any reasonable cause.”
He added that parents are wondering why their children are being subjected to such crude actions in schools, which should be safe places for them.
One recent incident involved a high school student in Kisii who lost a testicle following an injury he incurred during an alleged case of corporal punishment.
In another case, parents of Joypot Primary School in Kiambu County sought justice after their children were severely caned by teachers, with one of the boys being severely caned, injuring his backside, while the second one allegedly had his testicles squeezed leaving him with injuries.
Obuhatsa believes that a task force should be set up to investigate these cases and to advise the Ministry of Education on what steps to take to rescue learners.
He recommends that the task force should include the Ministry of Health, Parents, and the Ministry of Education among other stakeholders.
The chairperson also suggested that the Ministry of Education should urgently form a task force to investigate these incidences and that all teachers should undergo mental examination as part of a program by the Ministry of Health.
These incidents have raised concerns about the safety of children in schools and the need for better measures to ensure their protection. The task force is expected to come up with measures that will advise the Ministry on what steps to take to rescue learners.
The Ministry of Education should also take steps to deal with teachers found sneaking corporal punishment back into schools.
Parents and other stakeholders should work together to ensure that all schools provide a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn and grow.
The formation of a task force to investigate these cases is a step in the right direction towards achieving this goal.
Parents Association Demands Investigation into Corporal Punishment in Schools