70% of schools punish children against the law – Uwezo report

A new report reveals that 70 percent of schools in Uganda still use corporal punishment to discipline learners, despite the practice being illegal.

The 2024 National Learning and Assessment Report by Uwezo report cites the punishments used most widely as caning, and physical work.

The reports, which was launched in Kampala on Tuesday, shows that 9.2 percent of the schools are reported to be using corporal punishment often, with 60.7 using them sometimes while another 30.1 never used them as a form of disciplinary measure.

The Children Act, 2016, defines corporal punishment as any punishment in which physical force is used to cause pain or injury to a child, including actions intended to belittle, humiliate or ridicule the child.

The Uwezo report highlights other measures that schools use to discipline children as verbal warning, informing parents, requesting formal apology, suspension, verbal abuse/insult and detention.

But the reports also show that use of corporal punishments was higher in homes at 85 percent.

Ms Mary Goretti Nakabugo, the executive director Uwezo Uganda, said: “It’s very difficult to get rid of corporal punishment in schools when it’s actually highly preferred in households. Maybe the parents even encourage it in schools.”

“Unless we address it in the households, it won’t stop in schools, so it needs to be a holistic approach of trying to stop it because children need to look forward to going home and going to school,” she added.

Ms Nakabugo warned that children who are exposed to corporal punishments tend to also practice it when they become adults.

The same report said stealing was the most form of indiscipline that required disciplinary measures in schools at 48 percent, followed by escaping from school at 44.7 percent, fighting/ violence at 41 percent, telling lies at 26.3 percent and dishonesty at 17.9 percent.

The Uwezo report stressed that nurturing values and life skills as part of children’s early learning is equally important. Ms Nakabugo said schools and homes should not only focus on literacy and numeracy but also good values among the children.

“We shouldn’t just try to teach literacy and numeracy because literacy without values and some fundamental skills may not be of much use in the long term,” she warned.

Ms Beatrice Byakutaga, a member of the Education Service Commission, said corporal punishments was not the best way to discipline a child as it makes matters worse. She advised parents and teachers to always talk to the children whenever they are wrong.

Ms Byakutaga said: “We can look at different ways of punishing children and raising them. They listen when you talk to them. When you become harsh, they also become harsh.”

She suggested that alternatives like telling the children to apologise, suspending them from school, and verbal warnings should be used.

Nevertheless, she said the responsibility of impacting and instilling value in children should not be left to teachers in schools alone.

Ms Byakutaga said: “There is a need to make the learners responsible. Be responsible for their own learning, while the parents be responsible for the upbringing and learning of the children as well as the teachers.”

“It’s not about leaving it to the other party to handle or to deal with. It’s a responsibility for all of us,” she added.

Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, the State minister for Primary Education, who was represented by Mr Cleophas Mugenyi, the commissioner for Basic Education, said government would ensure the effectiveness of its structures in solving persistent challenges like the use of corporal punishments that undermine government’s our efforts to prevent violence against children in schools.

“The ministry is committed to enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of these structures to promote assurance and foster community and parental engagement in children’s learning,” she said.

PENALTIES

Section 25 of the Children Act, 2016, bans corporal punishment in schools and learning institutions. The law also prescribes penalties, including imprisonment, for up to three years, and or a fine of up to Shs2 million.