Spare the rod, respect the child

October marks the second anniversary of the UN secretary-general’s study on violence against childreBy teachers and school staff who use abusive disciplinary methods. Two years after the global study, we take a look at the effects of corporal and humiliating punishment on children. WHAT could be worse than hitting children on their head with wooden planks? Using wooden planks with nails embedded in them, as educationist and child rights expert Prof Dr Judith Ennew discovered while visiting a school in Peru. “I discovered that the teachers were using wooden planks to hit students who misbehaved,” related Prof Judith to an audience of Education Ministry officials, school principals and teachers during a workshop themed “Enhancing Educational Standards through Positive School Environments” in Kuala Lumpur recently. “When I... [read full story]