I am present and actively maintain a channel of openness such that they are very free to share with me anything that is a bit of a burden to them.
I don’t play with my kids and anything that has to do with them.
I appreciate teachers for what they do. Considering how much of a thankless job it is in Nigeria. However, I will never hesitate to speak out and address matters pointedly when I see a teacher stepping out of line.
As is normal with most schools, they are given assignments to do over the weekend and we have always done that. So it was a bit of a surprise and shock to me to go pick them up from school on Monday and my first son (6 years) mentioned that his teacher flogged him for not doing his assignment. I was taken aback. How? An assignment we did together? I opened the book in disbelief wondering if there was anything we missed.
It turned out that 4 pages in the book were duplicated. Those four pages were where the assignments given are. So the teacher focused on the duplicated pages and to her, the assignments were undone. I was apoplectic with rage and walked to the headmaster’s office. He wasn’t around unfortunately. But the staff I met in the office got a good dressing down.
The next day, when I took my wards to school, word had already gone round the teaching staff of the rage I let loose on the staff I met in the headmaster’s office the previous day. All eyes were on me but I didn’t care. I went straight to where my son’s teacher was and the look she saw on my face, she didn’t need to be told that I needed to have a talk with her. She walked over with unsure, unsteady steps. She greeted but I was in no mood for niceties. I only uttered one word. “Explain”
She went about how the fault wasn’t from her and all that. I then asked her, “You are flogging a 6 year old for what reason? How do you explain yourself? Flogging a child for the incompetence of your school?” She was mute.
Here’s the root of my anger. Any book approved for pupils to use should have been properly vetted by whoever is in charge of approving those books. For such a glaring error, where pages are duplicated, that book should have been instantly rejected from the publisher.
A 6 year old child got flogged for an error that he clearly had no contribution to because someone failed to carry out his duty. I, for one, do not believe in corporal punishment of any sort. All the flogging we received in schools as students, where has it gotten our nation? Nigeria still very much lags behind every country that has outlawed such in their schools. Inflicting pain is no way to enforce assimilation of knowledge.
Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act of Nigeria clearly prohibits flogging a child for any reason. Indeed it frowns against any form of punishment that violates a child’s dignity or physical well-being. I don’t flog my children. Because I believe that at any point where flogging seems to be a resort, communication from me the parent was not properly passed and understood. That is not on the child. That failure is on me and it is my duty to communicate properly in a way the child understands.
Schools are for learning. Discipline should be left for parents. Flogging children creates an atmosphere of fear and they cannot learn and assimilate knowledge under such. There are laws on the books against this already. Every parent will do well to acquaint himself or herself with them.
I appreciate teachers for what they do. Considering how much of a thankless job it is in Nigeria. However, I will never hesitate to speak out and address matters pointedly when I see a teacher stepping out of line.
As is normal with most schools, they are given assignments to do over the weekend and we have always done that. So it was a bit of a surprise and shock to me to go pick them up from school on Monday and my first son (6 years) mentioned that his teacher flogged him for not doing his assignment. I was taken aback. How? An assignment we did together? I opened the book in disbelief wondering if there was anything we missed.
It turned out that 4 pages in the book were duplicated. Those four pages were where the assignments given are. So the teacher focused on the duplicated pages and to her, the assignments were undone. I was apoplectic with rage and walked to the headmaster’s office. He wasn’t around unfortunately. But the staff I met in the office got a good dressing down.
The next day, when I took my wards to school, word had already gone round the teaching staff of the rage I let loose on the staff I met in the headmaster’s office the previous day. All eyes were on me but I didn’t care. I went straight to where my son’s teacher was and the look she saw on my face, she didn’t need to be told that I needed to have a talk with her. She walked over with unsure, unsteady steps. She greeted but I was in no mood for niceties. I only uttered one word. “Explain”
She went about how the fault wasn’t from her and all that. I then asked her, “You are flogging a 6 year old for what reason? How do you explain yourself? Flogging a child for the incompetence of your school?” She was mute.
Here’s the root of my anger. Any book approved for pupils to use should have been properly vetted by whoever is in charge of approving those books. For such a glaring error, where pages are duplicated, that book should have been instantly rejected from the publisher.
A 6 year old child got flogged for an error that he clearly had no contribution to because someone failed to carry out his duty. I, for one, do not believe in corporal punishment of any sort. All the flogging we received in schools as students, where has it gotten our nation? Nigeria still very much lags behind every country that has outlawed such in their schools. Inflicting pain is no way to enforce assimilation of knowledge.
Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act of Nigeria clearly prohibits flogging a child for any reason. Indeed it frowns against any form of punishment that violates a child’s dignity or physical well-being. I don’t flog my children. Because I believe that at any point where flogging seems to be a resort, communication from me the parent was not properly passed and understood. That is not on the child. That failure is on me and it is my duty to communicate properly in a way the child understands.
Schools are for learning. Discipline should be left for parents. Flogging children creates an atmosphere of fear and they cannot learn and assimilate knowledge under such. There are laws on the books against this already. Every parent will do well to acquaint himself or herself with them.
Oga abeg, even the bible said we should spare the rod and spoil the child. The teacher didn't do well but the part where you mentioned that children should not flogged is what I am comfortable with. That is why a lot of parents are unable to control their children
ReplyDeleteMadam abeg if e reach your turn flog them till they pass out
DeleteI pity for the next generation with the way every parent of nowadays fight the teacher for any little discipline meted out to their child. It wasn't the teachers fault and also not the kids fault. There is no way the teacher would have flipped the pages of the pupils books looking for duplicated pages. If you were a teacher you wouldn't have done that either. I am supposed to put the blame on you for not flipping the pages of your child's book to see what's contained in the next page. Mistake has been made and it's not the teachers fault.
DeleteIf flogging is the only way to correct a child, then the parent hadn't set good examples for the child to follow in the first place. Children learn from examples set, so that parent needs to look inward.
DeleteWho flogs a 6 year old? Frustrated human beings
ReplyDeleteSo sorry, sir. A little boy flogged for absolutely no reason.
ReplyDeleteShe owes him an apology.
Abeg I dey flog my pikin o! Serious flogging once in like 3 to 4 months dey reset brain. Most of the time I just threaten to flog and she will operate.
ReplyDeleteI no dey for that no beat my pikin nonsense.yimu
Most schools do not vet their books before selling to their students, recently my boy was given a literature book with scattered numbering, page 55,95,87 and so on when he complained he was asked to manage it , just because I check all his school stuff, I saw that and asked him to return it to school and collect the correct copy.
ReplyDeleteFlogging him was unnecessary for a duplicated copy, although I am not against flogging when they have done wrong but in the right manner.
U kinda right but the way you went about it was wrong. You would have spoken to the teacher calmly. The child will now look at teacher in kinda of way. Teacher will now also be scared of correcting your child. Do not be overzealous in your reaction
ReplyDeleteI didn't mention this in the column. Several parents have raised concerns regarding their kids bringing reports home how teachers were overzealous with flogging. Even causing injuries.
ReplyDeleteIn one instance, one I witnessed myself, a child who was just registered for crèche or play class, was crying and trying to leave the class. The teacher proceeded to start hitting him on the head severally. This child was less than 2 years old.
Later in the day when I came to pick up my children, I walked by the crèche class and through the window, I saw the same teacher eating food from a child's flask with gusto.
The schools view during a particular PTA meeting when the issue of flogging was brought up was that any parent not comfortable with that can remove their kids from the school. That's not a bad option thinking about it.
The teacher has no right flogging a 6year old or anyone for that matter.Happy you were calm enough to think of approaching the head of school,others would have gone to beat hell out of the teacher.Teachers should do better because times are changing
ReplyDeleteSome Nigerians are just barbaric! Upon all the flogging, Naija is still one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Despite having the most religious places of worship, we have people, spitting, openly defeacating in the gutters, cursing, bribing, graping, robbing, fornicating, doing droogs and other unspeakable acts. Some even carry these terrible acts abroad.Flogging does not instil morality. It teaches physical violence.
ReplyDelete