Corporal punishment in schools: issues and challenges

Abstract

In this paper the researchers sought to examine the issues and challenges surrounding the notion of corporal punishment in schools. The study was based on secondary data collected through review of studies, reports and policy documents. A thorough analysis of concepts related to corporal punishment such as context of CP, relationship between CP and physical abuse, whether CP promotes or controls deviant behaviour, the relationship between CP and moral internalisation, does CP enable behaviour reform, CP and school pupils retention, CP and cognitive development was done in an endeavour to establish the relationship between CP and behaviour change. The study found that teachers and school heads only match rules to be observed with commensurate punishments, threats and warnings but spend no quality time on explaining why this is acceptable while that is unacceptable thereby not equipping pupils with morals that can substitute deviance. As a result CP did not serve its purpose in schools.