A recent campaign by the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) to combat corporal punishment in schools has met with strong resistance from some pupils.
A recent campaign by the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) to combat corporal punishment in schools has met with strong resistance from some pupils.
Cosas members visited Archie Mbolekwa Higher Primary School last Friday to educate pupils about their rights and to speak against corporal punishment.
"Corporal punishment was banned a long time ago, but it still exist in our schools," said regional secretary of the organisation, Siphosethu Shane Ngxingo. "We have a new programme based on re-banning corporal punishment in the local public schools. We came to Archie [Mbolekwa] [to ascertain whether]learners are well aware of their rights."
Ngxingo said while corporal punishment should not be administered to pupils, this was not a signal to drop disrespect teachers as their guides. "Just because you do not receive corporal punishment doesn't mean you should not do your homework. You must remember that you came to school having goals and you want to achieve them."
But there was strong resistance among some pupils to the organisation's message.
"We listened and we understood – but without corporal punishment we will be uncontrollable. For those who are really serious about work, we will be highly disturbed," said Grade 8 pupil, Selunathi Sandi.
"We need corporal punishment, it puts us to the right direction, we are against the ban of corporal punishment," said Siphosethu Hani.
"They [Cosas] can't just come here and tell us what to do," said another pupil, Thembisile Mangele. "We know what we want and we were raised in that way. Otherwise we will be undisciplined, just like him: he stood in front the school and addressed learners wearing a cap. He even used vulgar language in front of all staff and learners. He is a disgrace."
Ngxingo said the Cosas sub-region is controlled by South African Schools Act (Sasa) and Rule 10.1.1 stated that no learner should receive corporal punishment. He quoted rule 10.1.2 which states that if any teacher practise corporal punishment on a learner, that teacher must be fired with immediate effect.
Teachers should come up with punishment that was educational, he said, for example, making a child stay in school after hours.
Ngxingo's suggestion that for evidence, pupils should take videos of teachers who practised corporal punishment was met with outrage from the staff.
"I am the head of the school and learners can't video teachers and send videos to Cosas without consulting me," said principal Zola Mothlabane.
