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Summary: The Ministry of Education in Belize is set to institute a new bill banning corporal punishment in schools, which is expected to take effect in September 2011.
[20 January 2011] - Corporal punishment is the infliction of physical pain upon an individual as punishment for doing something wrong. Yet it may be the least productive form of punishment for a child. Flogging or beating often leads to physical abuse because after some time an individual develops a tolerance to it, which induces the disciplinarian to increase the intensity of the blows, thus leading to serious injury. Corporal punishment creates mistrust, fear and hatred: violence breeds violence; and corporal punishment teaches kids to resolve disputes with violence. There are several alternatives to corporal punishment that are more effective and productive. When children misbehave at home, parents have developed several creative ways to discipline them. They may either stop the child from going outside to play, watching television, playing games, listening to music and things of that sort. Taking away their favourite leisure activities have proven to be extremely effective. When reproducing the same technique in school, it may entail taking away break-time privileges; keeping the child behind for longer after school; and banning the child from fun P.E. classes, school teams, school trips and other similar events. Such disciplinary actions are less barbaric and more galvanising to children, as it instils discipline and teaches them that good behaviour earns special privileges. That is the goal of the Ministry of Education of Belize under the leadership of Hon. Patrick Faber, to whom the removal of corporal punishment in schools is very important. It was on Friday, February 19, 2010 that somewhere between 15 to 25 per cent of the Belize National Teachers Union members showed up to demonstrate in front of the House of Representatives. The Union wished to postpone the second and third reading of the Education and Training (amendment) bill, which featured the removal of corporal punishment. The Union claimed that it wanted the opportunity for consultation regarding a piece of legislation that boasts a year-long national consultation process. Seventy-five per cent of the Union members chose not to take part in the demonstration. Many who did participate had no idea what was the issue of concern. Some complained about Teaching Services Commission, some about pay raise and some said outright it was against the UDP crowd. Some of their chants were also extremely disrespectful. They shouted things like “Faber come out, Faber come out,” “run over, run over, please send Patrick right over,” and “Who needs lashing? Fabah! Who needs lashing…” Minister Faber, a former teacher himself and a paying union member for ten years, heard those chants from the chamber of the National Assembly. He said, “It pains me – some of the remarks that they are shouting.” Their motives, at the very least, were questionable. Days before that sitting of the House, the Ministry took the Union’s concerns into account and announced that the section dealing with corporal punishment will be reviewed for six months before being implemented. A task force was established to recommend alternative methods of discipline during that time. The removal of corporal punishment in schools had been on the table for decades. Now that it would finally become a reality, six months did not seem like such a long time to wait. However, eleven months have passed since the bill was approved and corporal punishment has still not been banned. On Friday, 14 January 2011, Minister Faber announced that a milestone had been reached. He reported that the task force had concluded their exercise and “we have agreed on a way forward for the creation of safe and supportive schools in respect to the removal of corporal punishment as a means of discipline within our schools." Minister Faber is expected to sign a Statutory Instrument that lifts the suspension of the removal of corporal punishment in May of this year. The new policy will take effect at the beginning of the new school year in September. Further Information:
Owner: Shane D. Williamspdf: http://www.guardian.bz/all-politics/2761-end-of-corporal-punishment-is-near