Teachers and Pupils Views on Persistent Use of Corporal Punishment in Managing Discipline in Primary Schools in Starehe Division, Kenya

Abstract

Use of corporal punishment to manage discipline continues in primary schools in Kenya despite its ban through a legal notice of the year 2001. There have been several reported cases of teacher use of corporal punishment in schools implying failure of interventions such as guidance and counselling to yield expected results in improving discipline in schools. This study therefore investigated teachers and pupils views on use of corporal punishment in primary schools. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Simple random sampling was used to select 60 teachers and 300 pupils from the thirty public primary schools in Starehe Division. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the pupils and teachers. Ten headteachers were also interviewed. Data collected were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The study found that corporal punishment was a regular school experience for the pupils. Corporal punishment was administered by everyone in authority at school including prefects. The most prevalent forms of corporal punishment used among pupils at school were canning, slapping, kneeling down, pinching, pulling hair/ears and forced manual work. Headteachers, teachers, and pupils perceived corporal punishment as part of school ethos and culture. The study concluded that school administrators and teachers are not thoroughly prepared to deal with indiscipline in the absence of corporal punishment. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should train headteachers and teachers on alternative strategies to deal with discipline problems other than use of corporal punishment. Key terms: Corporal punishment, Discipline, Teachers, Pupils, Views, Primary Schools