“A designated break allows students to step away from the classroom environment to reflect on their actions calmly. This practice enables them to return with a clearer mindset, reducing the likelihood of impulsive reactions. School counseling services also play a vital role. Trained counselors can guide students through emotional challenges, equipping them with tools for managing behavior healthily and supportively”.
The tragic incident at Obada Idi-Emi High School, where a student named Ariyo reportedly lost his life after receiving 162 strokes of the cane for a minor infraction, highlights the urgent need to address corporal punishment in Nigerian schools. Ariyo’s death reveals the profound dangers inherent in this form of discipline, particularly when taken to extremes. Corporal punishment not only poses serious physical risks but can also cause long-term psychological damage to students, leading to anxiety, resentment toward authority, and trauma that hinder their growth and learning.
Schools, as centers of learning and development, must prioritise the safety and mental wellbeing of students, creating environments that foster respect, understanding, and constructive behavior. In place of corporal punishment, safer and more effective disciplinary methods should be adopted. One approach is restorative justice, which focuses on conflict resolution and mending relationships rather than punishment. When a student damages school property or commits a minor infraction, structured dialogues can help the student understand the consequences of their actions and find ways to make amends. This method allows students to learn responsibility and empathy without fear of physical harm.
Positive reinforcement is another effective approach. By rewarding good behavior, schools can create an environment where students are motivated to meet conduct standards. Positive reinforcement builds a constructive culture, where respect and self-discipline become natural behaviors rather than enforced mandates. This system can be complemented by behavioral contracts for students who struggle with repeated infractions, outlining specific goals and rewards for meeting them, allowing students to actively participate in improving their behavior.
Reflection time or a “cooling-off” period is a further alternative to corporal punishment.
A designated break allows students to step away from the classroom environment to reflect on their actions calmly. This practice enables them to return with a clearer mindset, reducing the likelihood of impulsive reactions. School counseling services also play a vital role. Trained counselors can guide students through emotional challenges, equipping them with tools for managing behavior healthily and supportively.
For these methods to succeed, schools must enforce policies that prohibit corporal
punishment and invest in teacher training on these alternative approaches. Training in
child psychology, behavior management, and non-violent conflict resolution will equip
teachers with skills for managing student behavior positively. Teachers should also be
informed of the physical, emotional, and legal consequences associated with excessiveforce, emphasizing that students’ rights to safety and dignity are protected by law.
Educational authorities, including the Ministry of Education, must actively monitor
disciplinary practices in schools. Clear reporting systems, regular audits, and
intervention protocols can help ensure that incidents like Ariyo’s are prevented. By
encouraging school cultures built on respect, empathy, and understanding, authorities
can ensure that discipline in Nigerian schools prioritizes student safety and development rather than instilling fear.
The tragic loss of a young life should serve as a call to action for all educational institutions in Nigeria. Corporal punishment must be replaced with methods that guide, support, and educate students in a way that respects their rights and fosters their potential. Discipline, when used responsibly, can become a powerful tool for growth and learning, but it must never come at the cost of a child’s life or wellbeing.
Proverbs 29:17 (NKJV) “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give
delight to your soul.”
Prof. Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is a Leadership, Conflict, Peace, and Security
Management Coach with decades of experience in the practice and promotion of Law Enforcement, Peace, and Security through the Nigeria Police and the United Nations.
He has served and interacted at the top level management of the Nigeria Police as
well as internationally as a United Nation’s Monitor/Mentor in Kosovo, Europe.
Ofonime is a certified United Nation’s Trainer, and currently a Professor of Leadership,
Peace, and Conflict Resolution with ICOF University, USA/Zambia and a Professor of
Peace Education with Charismatic International University, Cameroon.
With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa, he is
the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute famous for Peace
Leadership.
Presently, he is spearheading a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders”, a
campaign that is billed to run from 2022-2030 with a target of training 37,000 young peace leaders.
For leadership, conflict, peace and security consultations and trainings, reach him via:
Facebook: Dr. O.E Bassey
LinkedIn: Dr. O.E Bassey
X: Dr. O.E Bassey
WhatsApp: +2347065828892
Mail: emmanuelbassey@gmail.com
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