Perceptions of parents on the abolishment of corporal punishment in Mzilikazi district schools of Bulawayo metropolitan province

Abstract

The study's goal was to find out how parents felt about physical punishment being banned in schools. The purpose of the study was to ascertain how parents felt about physical punishment, to uncover the reasons behind their opinions against it, and to provide tactics for winning over parents to the idea of forbidding physical punishment. Semi-structured interviews were employed in conjunction with a case study to gather data for the study. The study found that parents had negative attitudes toward the ban on corporal punishment, that parents' perceptions of the ban were based on cultural upbringing, personal experiences, societal perceptions, and religious moral beliefs, and that in order for parents to be open to the government, schools, and teachers proving to them that there are other forms of discipline that are even more effective, it was their responsibility to do so. The study suggested that before enacting a new law, such as outlawing physical punishment, government representatives should hold extensive consultations with parents. The majority of research participants reported that they were not consulted on matters pertaining to their children's futures; hence, those who advocated for the outlawing of corporal punishment must address the unfavourable impressions at their source. The government should not just assume that parents will accept the ban on the spot. Instead, education stakeholders should collaborate to attempt and provide parents with an alternative to physical punishment for enforcing discipline. The study suggested that additional research be done to evaluate the efficiency of physical punishment versus alternative forms of discipline in primary schools.