Dear Editor,
In light of growing complaints about teachers severely beating children in schools, Education Minister Priya Manickchand has said she believes it is time that Guyana decides on a definitive position when it comes to corporal punishment in schools. This focus on the government with respect to national consultation on corporal punishment is rather astounding given that Guyana has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and that convention makes it rather clear that corporal punishment is an unacceptable practice. The obligation to prohibit all corporal punishment of children falls directly under articles 19, 28(2) and 37 of the Convention.
• Article 19: “(1) States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child….”
• Article 28(2): “States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that school discipline is administered in a manner consistent with the child’s human dignity and in conformity with the present Convention.”
• Article 37: “States Parties shall ensure that: (a) No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offences committed by persons below eighteen years of age….”
But that is not the only reason why corporal punishment should simply be abolished by the Ministry of Education without a consultation. For one, it is not a government policy to have a national consultation before it makes decisions affecting the entire population. Nor does government apply consultation in making decisions about the education sector. So why should there be an exception for corporal punishment?
Sincerely,
Annan Boodram
