Georgetown: The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) says it is totally against the abolition of corporal punishment since its teachers’ only tool to mold a proper future generations.
GTU’s General Secretary, Coretta McDonald said there are overwhelming cases of teachers being continuously assaulted by their students
“One Corentyne, Berbice teacher even lost her baby after being assaulted by a relative of one of her students.”
Adding that corporal punishment is something that has been much debated upon in homes, schools, among neighbours, friends, and as of recently, in the highest meeting in the land- the National Assembly, she said the consultation process has been a quite lengthy, and still continues.
“Corporal Punishment may prove to be disastrous for teachers, especially the many who are at risk when it comes to the more hostile children sitting within the confines of their classrooms…While it may not be ethical, corporal punishment may very well be one of the only tools that teachers have in protecting themselves against a generation today that has less, if any, regard for morals.”
Reflecting upon the past, McDonald said elderly people were respected and any elderly person could have scolded a child for his or hers wrong doing, but children of today, give way less regard to seniors.
President of the GTU, Colin Bynoe, pointed out that corporal punishment entails a girl child being given a few lashes in the palm, while a boy should be given those lashes on his buttocks.
Ms. McDonald is of the opinion growing cases of violence in schools, can be attributed to the breakdown in family life where parents are working to make ends meet, and not finding the time to discipline their children.
“While parents go out there to make a living, not finding time to discipline their children, it is the teachers who are saddled with that responsibility, and they need something that they can use to establish their authority in the classroom. We always say that the school doesn’t make the child, because each child goes to school with his or hers own attitudes and issues,” McDonald said.
In an effort to address the issue of badly behaved students and the threat that some of their pose to the safety of teachers, McDonald said that GTU is working towards starting a campaign to have meetings with residents of various community to have them realize that the saying that it truly takes a community to raise a child.
“We need to get people to understand that being selfish isn’t going to get you anywhere. You won’t find somebody scolding a neighbour’s child these days, because everybody living too selfishly- you handle your child, I handle mine. Even aunts and uncles don’t scold their nieces and nephews anymore, because the first think they gon say is that- me ain’t able fuh she tell me nothing fuh hollering pon she child…so that’s the way it is, and unfortunately, the way it is, is causing strain on the school system, and it is affecting teachers. Teachers are terrified of even asking certain of their students a question…so what is this becoming to…” McDonald said.
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