MHLATANE PUPILS WHIPPING: NOTHING WRONG - HEAD

PIGG’S PEAK – Is corporal punishment still allowed in schools?

This is a question that was being asked yesterday following the release of a video recorded inside a classroom at Mhlatane High School. In the video, the head teacher, Dr Mandla Dlamini, is whipping pupils. The video was shared via Facebook. It shows three pupils being whipped with a cane, each was given three strokes. Other pupils in the classroom appeared quiet, including the ones who were being whipped. Each of the caned pupils quietly left the desk after receiving the four strokes and sat down.
The video has attracted different views on social media, with some complaining that corporal punishment should not be administered to pupils because it was banned.

Essential

Others are of the view that corporal punishment was essential to ensure that pupils were well-behaved. The head teacher (Dr Dlamini) confirmed in an interview with this publication that the corporal punishment incident happened on Friday. He was not aware that while he was meting out the punishment, he was being video-recorded. Dlamini said there was nothing wrong with the punishment. He said he intended to remind the pupils that the school was still in existence. He said he was not harming them by hitting their heads to cause injury. He also added that this was done in the presence of other pupils to set an example for others regarding being disciplined.

Dlamini lamented that there had been a lot of misbehaving in the school such that some pupils drank and smoked within the school premises. He lamented that there were pupils within the school who were disturbing others who were serious about their education. This is not to suggest that these particular pupils were drinking or smoking in class. The head teacher said he had spoken to the particular pupils on moving about within the school during lessons and said this was disturbing yet they did not heed this instruction. “We cannot be calling their parents all the time they misbehave,” he said. He said he only did this as a reminder. Dlamini further expressed concern that in future, when bad things happened at the school, he would be blamed as the leader. He said even parents were struggling to discipline some of the children in their respective homes. He said it was not possible to just watch while pupils were misbehaving.

Regulations not changed - ministry

PIGG’S PEAK – Though schools are supposed to use positive discipline, regulations have not yet been changed regarding who is responsible for punishing pupils. Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training Bheki Gama said the regulations have not yet changed on head teachers administering punishment but the department encouraged positive discipline. He said in this particular incident, they would be investigate it with a view of engaging the head teacher. “We are not taking it lightly,” he said.

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