Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha wants corporal punishment reintroduced in schools to stem runaway indiscipline among students.
He said that though appearing atavistic, capital punishment holds the key to settling cases where “students have grown horns.”
The CS said school arson and attacks on teachers are on the rise, indicating a society going to the dogs. He spoke at Nyaburu Boarding Primary School in Kisii.
“I may appear old school but I think we are at a time when we need to discuss how we can bring sanity in our schools and maybe bring the cane on board once more,” Magoha said.
Capital punishment if rightly used can significantly reduce many of the indiscipline cases in learning centres, he said.
He urged parents to “rein in their children from home” as part of efforts to reduce deviance.
“We are not going to accept that schools be dumping grounds for students who lack proper nurture and good foundation at their homes. It is such parents who again turn against teachers, accusing them of not doing enough to control their children. That should stop,” he said.
He said parents must begin getting time out of their busy schedules to counsel their children.
“If they had time to plan to sire those children, then get time also to sit down with them, talk to them, otherwise we are not going to accept that schools be dumping grounds for spoiled kids.”
Magoga said he grew up in a strict family where cane was being used and he cannot understand the hullabaloo about using it to instil discipline in a school setting.
“I grew up in the villages where if I messed my parents could spare a few choicest strokes for my back; I did not die. I think we need a discourse on this issue once again. Otherwise, we are allowing our society to perish by copying everything from the West,” he said.
The Western approach to student discipline may not be the solution to the challenge of indiscipline in Kenya, Magoha said.
He said failure to instil discipline at home has led to the rise in incidents where some parents go to court whenever their undisciplined children are sent home.
“Courts have no role in student discipline, we must remove the gloves and face it,” he warned.
The CS said outlawing the use of a whip in schools may be among the reasons learners have “grown horns” and are giving teachers a difficult time.
Several schools have been torched across the country for the last one week, with a section of parents calling for the reintroduction of the cane.
In Nyamira, a primary boarding school was set ablaze Wednesday night. Hundreds of pupils slept in the cold. There have been similar incidents in 10 other schools across the country.
Magoha said going forward learners from schools that had been torched will not be readmitted to other schools. He said he will issue a circular to that effect.
Learners suspected of arson will be also be profiled as part of the broader efforts by the government to promote discipline. “We have held discussions on this and are already decided. If any student is destroying property, he should know that he will not go scot-free; he must be made to pay,” the CS said.
On exams, the CS said preparations have reached top gear and burning of schools will not affect it. He told teachers to discharge their duties without fear