The Lagos government has reiterated its prohibition on corporal punishment in public schools and defended counselling as an effective corrective measure.
The state commissioner for basic and secondary education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, spoke with NAN on Monday.
Alli-Balogun stated that beating students for indiscipline and other forms of misbehaviour would continue to be prohibited.
He said that the aim was to guard against inflicting injury, fainting, or even death due to flogging by a class teacher.
The commissioner said flogging is not the best way to correct a student.
“There is a policy here in Lagos and other parts of the country prohibiting teachers from giving corporal punishment to students/pupils,” he said.
“Against flogging of students, we have adopted counselling as a measure of correction.”
Alli-Balogun said minor punishments such as kneeling, picking dirt, and cutting grass within the school premises could also be applied.
This is part of our positive reinforcement, it is a powerful tool for shaping behaviour and encouraging desired outcomes,” he added.
“The idea is to bring to the student’s knowledge, reasons he/she must not misbehave.
“The counselling is basically to correct.”
