A recent E2 million lawsuit has compelled the Ministry of Education and Training Eswatini to take drastic measures against teachers who administer corporal punishment.
Principal Secretary (PS) Naniki Mnisi has issued a stern warning to headteachers that if such issues continue to give them trouble, they would be left with no choice but to let teachers pay from their own pockets in case a suit was filed against the ministry over corporal punishment.
The PS noted that government would continue to frown at any corrective action that would inflict injury or pain on any child.
This follows a recent case in Mbabane, where a child was injured on the hand, allegedly after a teacher administered corporal punishment as a corrective measure. Previously, the ministry had lost a E2.5 million lawsuit after a learner lost an eye as a result of reckless application of corporal punishment by a student-teacher.
The ministry has warned schools across the country to desist from using corporal punishment against erring pupils. In order to make the message sink, the principal secretary spoke to headteachers at a meeting held yesterday morning at Ngwane Park High School in Manzini.
An invitation letter had been issued by the ministry to the headteachers and shared with all regional education officers (REOs).
The PS stressed that the ministry will not condone actions that would drag government’s name in the mud.
PS Mnisi explained the reason why the meeting with headteachers had to be facilitated.
“The agenda of the meeting, amongst others, include endless lawsuits. Headteachers as you may appreciate the contents of the Constitution as the supreme law of the land grant only the headteachers authority to mete out corporal punishment to pupils and no one else even then the procedure is clearly spelled out.
We don’t want to rush into taking drastic action against headteachers and those who will be found wanting in this regard, we want to advise them accordingly and let them appreciate that we shall give the liability to them,” Mnisi said.
She indicated that the process of the law had to be explained clearly to the school administrators.
Headteachers were also initiated to the negative effects of corporal punishment, such as reducing the level of a child’s confidence, maiming, death, among others.
Headteachers were further reminded to bring their teachers up to date on modern ways of teaching and to come up with strategies to use in tackling indiscipline in place of corporal punishment.
