Teachers in Kiambu sub-county have been warned against administering corporal punishment to their students as it has been outlawed.
Speaking from his office on Friday, Kiambu sub-county education officer, Harrison Muriuki said that cases of teachers physically punishing their students were on the rise.
He stated that the cases had raised concerns among education stakeholders.
Muriuki cited an incident last month in which a form one student was beaten and strangled by a teacher who inflicted bruises on her face and neck simply because she failed to finish an assignment.
“The parents and education stakeholders were angered because the act was inhumane and should not be administered in this time and age,” he said.
He said that the teachers were not adhering to the rules stipulated by the constitution which state that every person has the right to security which includes the right not to be treated or punished in a cruel, inhumane or degrading manner.
Muriuki said that teachers should devise alternative methods of punishing the students.
Muriuki noted that the Teacher’s Service Commission had the power to suspend or fire any teacher who was found inflicting corporal punishment to the students.
He emphasised that when corporal punishment is administered on a student, their self-esteem is lowered and the students end up being afraid of the teachers.
Muriuki observed that the punishment results in poor communication which impacts negatively on the students’ academics and eventually contributed to poor performance in class.
He advised school heads to be vigilant and ensure sanity in their learning institutions which will lead to disciplined students capable of producing good grades and raising the standards of education.