Effects of Corporal Punishment on Disciplinary Control of Secondary School Students in Calabar Metropolis of Nigeria

Abstract

Administration of corporal punishment in secondary schools tends to be cruel, inhuman and could result in child abuse. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the use of corporal punishment on the disciplinary control of secondary education students in Calabar Metropolis of Nigeria. The study was designed to provide baseline information for micro policy management on education in order to enhance disciplined behaviour of students at secondary education level. Two research questions and one hypothesis were applied to guide the study while related literatures were reviewed. A sample size of 250 was drawn from a population of 1,666 secondary school teachers using a stratified random sampling technique. A well validated 18-item questionnaire was designed using the Likert Scale to collect information from respondents. Data were statistically analyzed using percentage, mean and independent t-test statistics. Results obtained revealed that corporal punishment was most frequently used among varieties of school punishment but it was not effective in disciplinary control of students in secondary schools. There was a significant difference in the use of corporal punishment on disciplinary control between public and privatesecondary school students. Based on these findings, appropriate recommendations were made.

Keywords: Disciplinary Control, Indiscipline, Behaviour, Corporal Punishment, Secondary School.