Legal Implications of Administering Corporal Punishment on School Children in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

The rod of discipline has been an age long concept used to help and correct an erring child. Corporal punishment thus involves inflicting pain on the offender in order to achieve correction and show the offender that his actions were unacceptable. Many maintain that corporal punishment is needful and should not be banned while a good number kick against its use because of some psychological damages it has proven to result to especially when used frequently. This study appraises the legal implications of administering corporal punishment on schoolchildren. Despite the global calls for the abolition of corporal punishment on schoolchildren, some states in the United States of America have embraced the use of Corporal punishment likewise our Nigerian Criminal Code Act, thus it is still in
use in Nigerian Schools. It is however recommended that teachers should consider the age, sex and the kind of offence before administering corporal punishment on the students and they should avoid frequent and abusive use of corporal punishment on the students. Also, the government should formulate Rules and Regulations on when and how to administer Corporal Punishment on students.