Students’ experience and attitude towards corporal punishment in the elementary schools of the central zone of Tigray Region in Ethiopia

Abstract

Children in Ethiopia are legally protected against all forms of cruel and inhuman treatment including corporal punishment (CP) at school as well as other childcare institutions. They, indeed, enjoy a constitutional right in this regard. However, in reality, they are indiscriminately subjected to CP in schools. Their experience with CP in schools through their own voice is hardly heard. Aiming to obtain descriptive information concerning the nature and consequences of CP from students, this study was conducted in the second cycle elementary schools of the Central Zone of Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Further, this study also assessed students’ attitude towards CP and its association with some of their demographics. A group administered instrument pack with three sections was used to collect data from 670 students drawn using multistage cluster sampling procedure. The results indicated that a quarter of students are subjected to CP. More male students are punished with CP than female students. A wide range of students’ behaviours attract CP. For the majority, CP did not lead to any psychological aftereffects. However, significant portions of students experienced various psychological effects of which some are of serious nature. CP resulted in different physical effects too. The attitude of students towards CP is predominantly negative. While student demographics such as grade level, fathers’ education, mothers’ education and their status of being corporally punished influence their attitude, gender does not influence it. Implications for further research, teacher training and reforms in policy implementation are explored.

Keywords: attitude, corporal punishment; elementary schools; physical aftereffects, psychosocial aftereffects