1 Thesis The lack of laws in the constitution of Guyana, against corporal punishment, has been an avenue for the

continuous and unjust abuse of children by teachers. Over the years, it can be noted that students have been taught or forced rather, into abiding by the cane. This is deemed corporal punishment and is assented as a barbaric act by which schools have subjected their students to. Laws are a part of the constitution1 of Guyana, enforced to govern this country and protect the citizens, children included, from specific injustices. However, a problem arises when the lack of laws against corporal punishment is over looked. ....corporal punishment of children remains common worldwide, despite bans on corporal punishment that have been adopted in 24 countries since 1979.- (ScienceDaily.com, August 9, 2010, accessed 19th November, 2012) The lack of these laws has given teachers the liberty to abuse children, discriminate against them and create a fear within the students. This suffocates a childs learning and takes away from the rights of a child, under which The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)2 states: Protection rights: ensure children are safeguarded against all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation.....(www.childrensrights, October, 2008, accessed 19th November, 2012) The lack of laws against corporal punishment in schools gives teachers the opportunity to bully and abuse children for minor and petty incidents. (E.g., a student coming late to class or answering a question wrong in the classroom) Some parents raise their children through non violent measures and breed them to convey and interact in peaceful surroundings so as to obey rules, be courteous and prompt. When teachers disrupt this developmental course in these children, they are given the impression that violence is an appropriate approach to conflict resolution and unwanted behaviour. It teaches them that it is right for powerful and more authoritative persons to be violent towards the weak and young. Is this what we want in the minds of our upcoming human resource? These students are our future and if we give them this atrocious example, we will be creating monsters for the worst of Guyana.

1 2

a system of rules, regulations and fundamental principles UNCRC- a human rights treaty setting out the rights of children under the United Nations

2 Corporal punishment has been an opportunity for the discrimination of students by teachers, be it, gender, race, religion etc. Guyana is a multi- ethnical country with varying religions hailing from all corners of the globe. Discrimination between these different types of people occurs on a daily basis even in the school environment. Teachers have been known to physically abuse students with rulers, whips and canes for practically no valid reason other than the race, religion or sex of that student. They take out all their frustration and anger on innocent children who have not wronged them in any major way. Tell me, do you think it is fair to send your child to school, knowing that there is a possibility for him/her to fall victim to corporal punishment due to a silly, trivial matter such as discrimination? Physical abuse does not contribute to learning in any way and puts students under constant stress and anxiety. It instils an unwanted fear within them. Two students each from seven schools in Guyana, both public and private, were interviewed (18th-20th November, 2012) and asked if corporal punishment was ever administered in their school and how often. The results were that all the schools selected, practised corporal punishment on a regular basis. This data enlightens us that corporal punishment is still a widely used method of penalty distribution in schools today. Corporal punishment has also never been proven to correct behaviour or reform children. This abuse just feeds students a more defined hatred of school and teachers in general and thus the learning process is hindered. Although physical wounds can be healed, emotional and psychological effects cannot be thwarted. Many have claimed that corporal punishment strengthens discipline in schools. Absent this discipline, you end up with a classroom that is no longer or barely conductive to teaching and learning (Mike Persaud, current high school teacher for NYCs Dept. of Education and past teacher in Guyana, September, 2012, accessed 20th November, 2012). However this form of abuse hampers with a childs development of his/ her communication ability and destroys their self confidence. Furthermore, they withdraw from classes and a destructive relationship between mentor and child is created based on force. In other words, it suffocates a child self expression. In addition, teachers punishing students in such an obscure way, gives parents the excuse to abuse their children at home for whatever reason they were beaten in school for initially. For example: a child beaten for arriving to school late and going home to parents who also beat him/her for the same reason. This occurs because parents often get the impression that their child

3 must have really done some injustice to get beaten or whipped. Hence, it can be added up that corporal punishment leads to domestic abuse in the home environment. We live in the 21st century where some children do need discipline occasionally but they need to learn this through non-violent and non-humiliating measures. Not to mention that the use of corporal punishment in schools in Guyana is a violation of Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In general, corporal punishment sends a wrong message to students and the lack of laws to protect them against it has been an avenue for teachers to wrongfully bully and discriminate against them. There is need for legislation to be implemented so as to protect children from violence and to promote human dignity and advance human rights. (Neri Alli, kaiteurnewsonline.com, 5th November, 2012, accessed 20th November, 2012)

4 Bibliography childrensrights.com, October, 2008, accessed 19th November, 2012 guyanaobservernews.org, Brendon Mounter, May 27, 2012, accessed 20th November, 2012 kaieteurnewsonline.com, Neri Alli, 2012/06/05, accessed 20th November, 2012 ScienceDaily.com, August 9, 2010, accessed 19th November, 2012 stabroeknews.com, Mike Persaud, high school teacher for NYCs Dept. of Education, September, 2012, accessed 20th November, 2012