As I reflect on my school days, I remember the fear of being caned as a deterrent to misbehavior. While it may seem harsh by today's standards, the threat of corporal punishment maintained order and encouraged respect for authority. The Bible's proverb "Spare the rod, spoil the child" (Proverbs 13:24) emphasizes the importance of discipline in child development.
In our time, the cane was an effective tool for maintaining discipline. Students were mindful of their behavior, and expulsion was a real consequence of serious misbehavior. Latecomers were rare, as punishment awaited those who didn't arrive on time. Note-writing and assignments were completed diligently, driven by the fear of punishment. You don't want to ever fall victim to some teachers then, the fear of being disciplined was there and paramount to the running of the school system then.
Fast-forward to today, and the scenario is starkly different. Without the fear of corporal punishment, students have become disrespectful and disobedient. Assignments are ignored, and teachers are often met with defiance. The "no cane policy" has created a culture of impunity, and parents often threaten teachers who attempt to discipline their children.
Only a small percentage (10%) of students come from homes with strong discipline, and these students tend to behave well throughout their school life. To address the growing indiscipline and ensure a brighter future for our children, I strongly believe that the cane should be reintroduced as a last resort to instill discipline and respect for authority.
I remember a time in my school days when I had to follow the trends of my friends to misbehave, hmmm! We were caught during school hours by the principal outside the school compound and she told us to return back to school. My little mind then was against us disobeying the principal but the influence of my friends got me and we ended up ignoring the principal and went our way. The following day, we were called to the assembly to discipline us. The teachers were so disappointed in me being a favorite to most of them, I felt so bad and was disappointed in myself too.
How was the experience?
The principal instructed a teacher to give us 12 strokes of the cane and gave us two weeks' suspension. Hmmm!🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 Now telling my parents the reason why I was given suspension from the school was not easy and she had to take me to school herself. After much pleading, we were given severe punishment for two weeks without entering the class. Ever since then, I refused to follow bad trends and never misbehaved again. The experience was not a good one for me and the image of my parents. I felt so bad and regretted my actions.
iiiiiii you can 🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫🥫
Nowadays, the case is different. Students misbehave anyhow having the mind of no-cane policy. Corporal punishment can be removed but cane should be brought back into our school system to instill discipline among the students.
We can take a stand and advocate for a balanced approach to discipline, combining positive reinforcement with consequences for misbehavior. Our children's future depends on it.
Here is my response to the #hiveghana weekly contest on the topic; THE CANE
Image one is mine from my gallery
Image two is sourced.
Thank you for reading
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