Members of Parliament have hinted at a possible return of the cane in schools, as the National Assembly's Committee on Education launched an inquiry into rising cases of student unrest across the country. The move has revived one of Kenya's most contentious education debates.
Corporal punishment was officially banned in Kenyan schools on March 13, 2001, when then Education Minister Kalonzo Musyoka issued a Gazette Notice scrapping the legal provisions that allowed caning. More than two decades later, some legislators believe the ban has left schools without effective tools to maintain order.
Supporters argue that discipline has weakened significantly since the abolition of caning, contributing to indiscipline and the destruction of property. One lawmaker said that restoring caning, alongside stronger parental involvement in raising children, would help address indiscipline in schools.
Not all MPs agree. While some lawmakers back caning, others want the causes of student unrest investigated. The debate raises a difficult question: should discipline return to physical punishment, or is the current crisis a signal for broader reforms and a more rights-based approach to education?
Kenya has faced this question before. During an earlier wave of unrest, when more than 40 schools were set ablaze, MPs also said they were seriously considering reintroducing caning as a disciplinary measure. The recurrence suggests that the underlying problems have not been fully resolved.
The inquiry is likely to be decisive. Stakeholders are expected to present their views on the proposal to reintroduce caning as a disciplinary tool. Teachers, parents, learners and child rights groups will therefore have an opportunity to shape the outcome.
Any decision will carry significant legal and social consequences. Lawmakers will need to weigh the desire for order in schools against the rights and welfare of children, and consider whether counselling, mentorship, and stronger school-community partnerships could address indiscipline more effectively. Whatever the committee recommends, it should rest on evidence about why students are protesting, not on frustration alone.
Source:https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/education/article/2001562090/why-mps-are-considering-return-of-canning-in-schools
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