First lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa has told parents to use the whip on their children as outlawing corporal punishment is one of the reasons for the spiralling of social problems like early pregnancies, juvenile delinquency, drug abuse and other vices that bedevil the young generation.
Mnangagwa said
this when she addressed hundreds of women and school children at her
Gota/Nhanga Programme, a cultural and moral restoration initiative to
revitalize the nation’s traditions held at Mawungwa Secondary School in Gutu
South on Monday.
Mnangagwa joins
several high-ranking citizens who have publicly disagreed with a ruling that
declared article 60(2) (c) of the Educational Act unconstitutional. In 2018
respected High Court Judge, Joseph Mafusire told children, teachers and parents
gathered at a prize giving ceremony at Kutama College that he did not agree
with the ban on corporal punishment.
Minister of
Primary and Secondary Education, Torerai Moyo recently told trade unionists
that it was an error to ban corporal punishment. The ban has made it difficult
for teachers to maintain discipline in and outside the classroom.
Corporal
punishment was banned through a High Court interpretation of the law by two
High Court Judges, Justice Esther Muremba in 2015 said corporal punishment was
unconstitutional and in 2017, Justice David Mangota went on to strike off
sections of the Education Act and Education Disciplinary Regulations of 1985
which legalized corporal punishment.
Mnangagwa told
parents that they should whip children on the feet because here chances of
injuring them are slim.
She bemoaned
the ‘newly found’ children rights, in particular the ban on corporal punishment
which has resulted in increased teen pregnancies, drug and substance abuse
cases, juvenile delinquency and school dropouts.
“These new
freedoms result in unwanted pregnancies, drug and substance abuse cases, school
dropouts and juvenile delinquencies. We didn’t have those rights growing up,
our parents whipped us into line and we were very disciplined.
“How do we
handle these children who are the future? If you whip them, they report you to
the Police and can even lie that you wanted to rape them. Whip your children
into line. Whip the legs to discipline them,” said Mnangagwa.
The programme
started with different programs for boys and girls. The boys’ program was led
by chiefs and pastors who taught them traditional values they are expected to
uphold while the female program was led by Mnangagwa and elderly women.
Mnangagwa urged
parents and teachers not to separate duties given to girls and boys. Carrying
out all duties, produced individuals with a better social appreciation.
“It’s important
for children to carry out all tasks at the home. Growing as a girl, I herded
cattle and I have an appreciation of work done by men. Boys must sweep the
yard, wash dishes so that they have an appreciation of the work done by women,”
she said. Masvingo Mirror
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