Nearly 30 years after corporal punishment ban, almost 1 in 5 KZN pupils beaten at school
The Department of Basic Education has released its report for 2023 - its most recent, which reveals some shocking stats.
Picture: Pixabay.com
CapeTalk's John Maytham is joined by Yolisa Piliso, legal practitioner and researcher at the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC).
Corporal punishment was banned in South Africa almost 30 years ago, but the most recent report by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) shows that the practice continues in our schools.
It reveals that almost one in five pupils in KwaZulu-Natal, or 19.1%, reported being beaten by teachers in 2023.
The national figure was 6.8%, according to the report compiled by the Department assisted by Statistics SA.
It's one of the findings contained in 'Impact of basic education on South Africans: Report on the 2023 General Household Survey'.
While it's taken some time for the Department to get the document out to the public, it does reveal a culture of violence still prevalent in some communities and schools.
It also shows an element of under-reporting, says the Equal Education Law Centre's Yolisa Piliso, as the 'general household' information is obtained from parents.
At the same time, the kids themselves carry violence they experience in their communities over to their schools as well, he says.
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Piliso references a widely-heard view that corporal punishment is necessary to discipline kids, with proponents who grew up with it saying things like 'and I turned out fine'.
"I think it's the general public that accepts that notion that 'it's just a mere whipping' which continues this culture that perpetuates violence against children. it's important to get to a point where we don't only view children as an extension of their parents but as human beings that equally have the same rights as adults."
Yolisa Piliso, Attorney - Equal Education Law Centre
"While the DBE has done work to encourage schools to use positive discipline, a lot more needs to be done. Parents and school governing bodies also need to understand their role, and the law which protects children against having to endure corporal punishment."
Yolisa Piliso, Attorney - Equal Education Law Centre
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