By Audrey Wabwire
A few
days ago, a video widely shared online showed a Mbeya Regional commissioner
in southern Tanzania caning boys who were lying on the ground as
punishment for burning down their dormitories after their mobile phones were
confiscated.
Let’s be clear, Corporal punishment is child abuse.
It is brutal, widespread, and state-sanctioned in Tanzania, but the government
gives mixed signals about tackling the problem.
In August, Tanzania
banned teachers of lower grades from entering classrooms with canes.
In recent years, Human Rights Watch has spoken to many children who
are caned, punched, or slapped by teachers.
Although trainee teachers who
were filmed caning children in Mbeya in 2016 were suspended and
demoted, Tanzania President John
Magufuli praised the commissioner for caning students in the
latest incident.
He defended caning, saying it has been used as a
form of discipline for many years.
President Magufuli, who was speaking in Songwe recently,
said his administration will not tolerate people who break the country's laws.
He
added that activists, who are against the Regional Commissioner's decision to
whip in public and suspend the students to help the government to reconstruct
the buildings rather than complaining.
"I
spoke to the Regional Commissioner, Albert Chalamila, and I commended him for
whipping the students because their behaviour is intolerable," said the
president, who revealed that he was indeed impressed by the Chalamila’s work.
He added: Whenever you do something good in the
community you attract enemies but you (the RC) should keep doing what you are
doing for the good of the community.
 |
| Mbeya Regional Commissioner, Albert Chalamila, caning students who were alleged to burn down their dormitories after their mobile phones were confiscated |
"We
all went to school and we were canned by teachers whenever we made mistakes, so
who are they (the Kiwanja secondary school students)... I wonder why the RC's
act is termed as violation of human right," he said.
Studies show violence has
long-term negative effects on children’s development. Children who
are beaten, caned, assaulted, or insulted are more likely to develop
learning problems, and participate less in class.
It’s time to imagine a better future for Tanzania’s
children, free of violence, instead of glorifying this retrogressive punishment
without acknowledging harmful practices that have no place in today’s society.
It’s unacceptable for President Magufuli to justify
caning in schools today just because it was acceptable in the past. And the
commander who administered the beatings has both failed to set ethical
standards as a leader and has set a dangerous precedent.
Tanzania should make necessary reforms to ensure
children’s safety in schools. It’s time for President Magufuli join
the dozens of African
countries who have outlawed corporal punishment in schools.
Quality education requires good learning
environments, where teachers can manage different behavioral problems,
understand their students, and manage classrooms without resorting to violence.
These can be accomplished if the government guarantees safety in schools and
provides teachers with training programs that equip them with violence-free
problem-solving skills in schools.
If Tanzania is to address the inaccessibility
of quality education to millions of children who are still out
of school around the country, it will have to find ways to make the
environments in schools safe and enriching. - Human Rights Watch
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