Times Of Swaziland: MINISTRY TO PUNISH TEACHERS FOR CORPORAL PUNISHMENT MINISTRY TO PUNISH TEACHERS FOR CORPORAL PUNISHMENT ================================================================================ BY JOSEPH ZULU on 09/10/2015 03:58:00 EMVEMBILI – Teachers who use corporal punishment in schools could soon find themselves being disciplined. Phineas Magagula, the Minister of Education and Training, warned that teachers who beat pupils should be reported to the ministry so that they could be disciplined. The minister was the guest speaker during a speech and prize giving day held at the King Mswati II Methodist School yesterday. The school was also bidding farewell to former head teacher Jabulani Simelane, who was showered with gifts by the school and other well-wishers, including the minister. Simelane joined the school in February 2007 and retired in January 2015. He said teachers should use positive forms of discipline on pupils as opposed to beating them. The minister said beating children in schools was no longer allowed. Murmuring from some of the teachers could be heard after the minister made the statement. Some of the teachers expressed displeasure at the statement of a ban to corporal punishment. Magagula also urged parents to spend more time with their children. He said with the emergence of social networking sites, there was a need for parents to spare more time for their children. The minister said other social challenges such as substance abuse, pornography, HIV/AIDS and peer pressure continued to impact on children. He reminded parents and pupils on the importance of self-discipline.