Corpun file 12749

Botswana Daily News Online, 22 January 2004

Reintroduction of corporal punishment welcome

Gojwane residents in the central district have welcomed the reintroduction of corporal punishment in schools to curb outward behaviour, but are against the empowering of school heads to expel students. Residents told a kgotla meeting addressed by MP for Palapye Boyce Sebetela, that giving a single individual such power could lead to abuse as some corrupt heads may use the leeway to victimise some students for personal reasons.

The MP told residents that school heads are going to be empowered to either administer corporal punishment, suspend or expel problem students. Until recently only the minister of education wielded such power.

Sebetela who is also minister for Communication Science and Technology attributed the problem of lawlessness among students partly to the parents' general indifference towards their children's education and discipline.

This he said has also resulted in poor performance by students during examinations. "The results for standard seven examinations are mostly dominated by Cs and Ds in most of our public schools, particularly those in rural areas", the MP said.

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