As the proliferation of students’ misconduct has swollen up in the education sector nationwide, to a point that schools’ administrators and teachers are victimized by the students’ gangsteristic postures, the Kids Educational Engagement Project Liberia (KEEP) has conducted a workshop for school authorities on corporal punishment replacement.
“The process of replacing corporal punishment is by training more guidance counselors,” Reverend Harrison Darwolo, County Education Officer, Montserrado County, said.
Corporal punishment is a harsh and drastic form of punishment designed by teachers, school administrators and parents to discipline children and students. But the assimilation of western culture and its acceptance by the Liberian government has impaired moral conduct in Liberia, especially with students.
The corporal punishment was in fulfillment of the Bible’s quotation, “Don’t spare the rod and spoil the child”.
The purpose of the workshop, among other things, was to identify the negative impact that the eradication of corporal punishment has on the society and what to place it with, according to Gloria O. R. Yaskey, Program Coordinator.
“It can be addressed holistically. Good parenting is one of the ways to address corporal punishment replacer,” the stakeholders said in an accord.
The research survey of the punishment continuation and eradication was carried out by KEEP Liberia in five schools: June Moore Public School, Arthington Public School, Gabriel Kolleh Public School, Millsburg Public School and Goba Town Public School.
According to the M&E Officer of KEEP Liberia, Moses Nuwon Buwee, several students disliked corporal punishment during the survey and expressed having no knowledge about teachers’ code of conduct.
The students disagreed on several issues touched by KEEP Liberia during the interview, according to Buwee. However, he said, principals and teachers are frustrated with the misbehavior of students and are, therefore, searching for a way forward.
“What can we do to avoid students’ misbehavior or what can we replace with corporal punishment?” Veto V. Garway, Vice Principal for Instruction, Charles D.B. King Elementary School, MCSS, said.
Representatives of the Ministry of Education, school administrators, children’s rights activists, and so on, attended the workshop.
To find a durable solution for students to exhibit good demeanor in schools and at home, the attendees called for religious involvement, teachers to know how to address the students, parents to get involved, and students to obey all the rules and regulations of the school’s handbook, etc. By this, they say, morale conduct will return in schools and homes.
Yaskey revealed a pending roundtable discussion on Friday, noting that it will be selective.