Flogging In Schools....

Corporal punishment is not new in schools. 

Teachers cane erring pupils without their parents raising eyebrow. But the “inhuman treatment” of Ogechi Anyalewechi, a Junior Secondary School Two (JSS II) pupil of Eva Adelaja Girls’ Secondary School in Bariga, Lagos, who was said to have been flogged on her bare buttocks and back has provoked a debate on the punishment.

The welts on Ogechi Anyalewechi’s bare buttocks and back are healing gradually after being flogged by her teachers about a fortnight ago.  But the case has provoked debate about how to instill discipline in schools. Ogechi, a JSS2 pupil of Eva Adelaja Girls’ Junior Secondary School in Bariga, Lagos, was flogged by two teachers on the directive of the Principal, Mrs C.O. Coker, for being rude to the head girl. The 14-year old was taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

She has chosen not to continue at the school because of alleged persecution by her mates who protested the removal of the principal and four other teachers by the Lagos State government.

Flogging is a common form of punishment for maintaining discipline in schools. It is also commonly used by parents to call their children to order.  While some teachers and parents think it should be phased out, other teachers who spoke to The Nation disagreed..

Those who disagree are mostly teachers who teach in public schools, like Eva Adelaja, which is run by the Lagos State government.

A teacher, who teaches in a public school in Education District V foresees danger and loss of morals if flogging is banned.

“You have to experience what we go through with these students before you can ask us not to flog them.  Some of them display bad attitude. Some are hardly punctual. Some come to school barefooted or unkempt. Some smuggle phones to school and all they do is waste their time on social media. Some steal or fight. He argued that the only punishment that has been so effective over the years is flogging; and believe me, we are getting result,” he said.

Another public school teacher, Mr Salisu Ibrahim (not real names), also thinks flogging is necessary. But he said teachers should beat pupils according to their sizes. “Most teachers abuse the use of cane by using it unequally.

Many adults who grew up in Nigeria attested to being flogged in their school days. Some of them stated the fact that it worked in disciplining them, so it can work on young people today.

However, society has changed and we are looking up to America. In America you cannot beat children. But the maturity of children in America is different from our own children here; so if we just import those laws and behaviour, it’s going to spell doom for us.

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As a Nigerian parent, do you support flogging in our schools or not?

Would you condone flogging of your lil kids in the name of discipline?

Don't you think it would be better if the students are corrected in love?

Where you caned as a student? Did it help you in attaining a higher level of discipline?

*HEAVEN HELPS WHOEVER FLOGS MY CHILD..I am still having nightmares from the marks on that child abuse post of yesterday......hmm!!!..if anybody flogs my child,oh GOD help them!