Understanding perceptions of teachers and pupils towards corporal punishment for pupils with disabilities in primary schools in Tanzania
Implications for the promotion of social justice in education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31949/ijeir.v4i1.11093Abstract
In Tanzanian primary schools, corporal punishment is legally permitted and widely practiced as a disciplinary method, often extending to pupils with disabilities. This study explores the perceptions of teachers and pupils towards the use of corporal punishment on pupils with disabilities, focusing on its implications for social justice and inclusive education. A qualitative approach, employing a phenomenological design, was used to understand the lived experiences of the participants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with two head teachers and eight subject teachers, as well as focus group discussions involving ten pupils with disabilities, all purposively sampled. Thematic analysis revealed that corporal punishment is commonly justified by teachers as a means of addressing indiscipline, despite its negative impact on pupils’ emotional well-being and academic engagement. Some teachers recognized the contradiction between corporal punishment and inclusive education principles, highlighting its violation of the rights of pupils with disabilities. Pupils described feeling marginalized and fearful, highlighting the adverse effects of this practice on their sense of belonging and learning environment. The study recommends a shift towards alternative disciplinary approaches that uphold the rights and dignity of all pupils, particularly those with disabilities. It emphasizes the need for targeted professional development programs to equip teachers with non-violent strategies for managing classroom behavior. Furthermore, it calls for the enforcement of inclusive education policies and the creation of support networks to foster socially just and equitable learning environments. By addressing these issues, this study contributes to the discourse on inclusive education and social justice, advocating for systemic reforms to align Tanzanian educational practices with global standards.
Keywords:
Corporal punishment, pupils with disabilities, primary schools, teachers’ perspectives, social justice in educationDownloads
References
Ahmed, A., Wan-Yuen, C., Marret, M. J., Guat-Sim, C., Othman, S., & Chinna, K. (2015). Child Maltreatment Experience among Primary School Children: A Large Scale Survey in Selangor State, Malaysia. PLoS ONE, 10(3), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119449
Ary, D, Jacobs, L.C, Sorensen, C & Razavieh, A. (2010). Introduction to Research in Education. Belmont: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
Boydell, N., Nalukenge, W., Siu, G., Seeley, J., & Wight, D. (2017). How Mothers in Poverty Explain Their Use of Corporal Punishment: A Qualitative Study in Kampala, Uganda. European Journal of Development Research, 29(5), 999–1016. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-017-0104-5
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Busienei, A. J. (2012). Alternative Methods to Corporal Punishment and Their Efficacy. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies, 3(2), 155–161.
Caulfield, J. (2023). How to Do Thematic Analysis – Step-by-step Guide & Examples. Retrieved from: https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/thematicanalysis/#:~:text=Thematic%20analysis%20is%20a%20method,meaning%20tha t%20come%20up%20repeatedly. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach. Sage publications.
Fareo, D.O And Owolabi,B.G (2022)Teachers’ Perception of the Use of Corporal Punishment in Junior Secondary Schools in Mubi Education Zone, Adamawa State, Nigeria. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS). 6 (6)
Kalolo, J.F and Kapinga, O.S (2023) Towards ending corporal punishment in African countries: Experiences from Tanzania. International Journal of Educational Development. 102 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev. 102839
Gershoff, E. T. (2017). School corporal punishment in global perspective: prevalence, outcomes, and efforts at intervention. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 22, 224–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2016.1271955
Gershoff, E. T., Purtell, K. M., & Holas, I. (2015). Prevalence of and Attitudes About School Corporal Punishment in the U.S. 9–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14818-2_2
Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children. (2016). Global progress towards prohibiting all corporal punishment. Retrieved from http://endcorporalpunishment.org/assets/ pdfs/legality-tables/Global%20progress%20table%20with%20terrs%20%28alphabetical%29.pdf
Han, S. (2014). Corporal punishment and student outcomes in rural schools. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 13(3), 221–231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10671-014-9161-0
Hecker, T., Hermenau, K., Isele, D., & Elbert, T. (2014). Corporal punishment and children’s externalizing problems: A cross-sectional study of Tanzanian primary school aged children. Child Abuse and Neglect, 38(5), 884–892. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.11.007
Houwing, F. L., & Bussey, K. (2017). Moral Disengagement and the Propensity to Endorse Physical Punishment Practices. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26(4), 1206–1218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0643-y
Ifunya, D. . (2013). the Challenges To Children’s Rights in the Mtaa Mediation System, Tanzania. www.humanrights.dk
Kambuga, Y. M., Manyengo, P. R., & Mbalamula, Y. S. (2018). Corporal punishment as a strategic reprimand used by teachers to curb students’ misbehaviours in secondary schools: Tanzanian case. International Journal of Education and Research, 6(4), 183–194. www.ijern.com
Khanyile, C. C. W. (2014). Exploring attitudes of black educators towards corporal punishment and alternative methods of punishment in UThungulu District. http://uzspace.unizulu.ac.za/xmlui/handle/10530/1365
Kish, A. M., & Newcombe, P. A. (2015). “Smacking never hurt me!” Identifying myths majority of the students proposed that corporal punishment should not be used, rather, teachers should use the nurturing strategies such as guidance and counselling and un-hating manual works121–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.07.035
Ladislas G. (2023). Corporal Punishment as an Educational Practice for Burundian Children's Maladaptive Behavior: The Assessment of the Disposition of Children Education Stakeholders. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 19 (28), 69. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2023.v19n28p69
Lakshman, I. M. (2018). Can Sri Lankan teachers afford to spare the rod? Teacher attitudes towards corporal punishment in school. Cogent Social Sciences, 4(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2018.1536316
Lochmiller, C. R. (2021). Conducting Thematic Analysis with Qualitative Data. The Qualitative Report, 26(6), 2029-2044. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2021.5008
Lopes, J., & Oliveira, C. (2017). Classroom Discipline: Theory and Practice. Classrooms: Academic Content and Behavior Strategy Instruction for Students with and without Disabilities, 2(August), 231–253.
Marcus, R. (2014). Poverty and violations of children’s right to protection in low- and middle-income countries (A review of the evidence). 1(December), 90.
Marshall, B. J. (2020). Administrators ’ Conceptions of Corporal Punishment on Walden University.
Mayeza, E., & Bhana, D. (2017). Addressing gender violence among children in the early years of schooling: insights from teachers in a South African primary school. International Studies in Sociology of Education, 26(4), 408–425. https://doi.org/10.1080/09620214.2017.1319288
Mwashiuya, E. F & Juma, Z. R. (2023). The Role of Media in Reducing the Use of Corporal Punishment in Dodoma Schools in Tanzania. Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education, 7(4), 405 – 415. https://doi.org/10.59765/h3yrv8hg
Njelesani, J., Hashemi, G., Cameron, C., Cameron, D., Richard, D., & Parnes, P. (2018). From the day they are born: A qualitative study exploring violence against children with Disabilities in West Africa. BMC Public Health, 18(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5057-x
Njelesani, J., Si, J. & Swarm, D (2022) Unreported and unaddressed: Students with disabilities experience of school violence in Zambia. African Journal of Disability 11(0), a849. https://doi. org/10.4102/ajod. v11i0.849
Nussbaum, M. C. (2006). Frontiers of Justice: Disability, Nationality, Species Membership. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Ojo, F.Y. (2018). Corporal Punishment in Nigerian Schools from Psychological Perspectives: Issues and Recommendations. Journal of Education and Practice, 9(5), 2018, 23-28.
Paul, M (2020) Impact of Corporal Punishment on Students’ Discipline in Tanzania: The Case of Selected Secondary Schools in Bukombe District. Tengeru Community Development Journal. 7 (2)1-13
Rawls, J. (1971). A Theory of Justice. Harvard University Press.
Reyneke, M., & Reyneke, M. (2018). Educator accountability in South Africa: Rethink section 10 of the South African Schools Act. Journal for Juridical Science, 43(1), 117–144. https://doi.org/10.18820/24150517/jjs43.v1.6
Schulte, M.C (2020)Corporal Punishment in Schools in Low-Income Countries: An Evidence Review.USAID
Sungwa, R., Jackson, L., & Kahembe, J. (2022). Corporal Punishment in Preschool and at Home in Tanzania (pp. 51-74). Singapore:: Springer.
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (2015). Tanzania: Violence Against Children in Schools. Available online: https://www.unicef.org/tanzania/violence-against-children-schools.
United Nations (2007). Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). CRC General Comment No. 8 (2006): The Right of the Child to Protection from Corporal Punishment and Other Cruel or Degrading forms of Punishment (U.N. CRC/C/GC/8). Retrieved from http://www.refworld.org/ docid/460bc7772.html
Yeboah, D. (2020). Teachers’ perceptions of the abolition of caning in Ghanaian schools. Issues in Educational Research, 30(1), 379-395.
UNICEF (2020) Corporal punishment of children in the United Republic of Tanzania. www.endcorporalpunishment.org.
Zuilkowski, S. S., Thulin, E. J., McLean, K., Rogers, T. M. G., Akinsulure-Smith, A. M., & Betancourt, T. S. (2019). Parenting and discipline in post-conflict Sierra Leone. Child Abuse and Neglect, 97(November 2018), 104138.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104138
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Thabiti Zuberi, Abdallah Jacob Seni, Reuben Sungwa
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
