Abstract:
Oftentimes discipline to the children has been guided by the values, principles
and religious provisions such as sparing the rod and spoiling the child among
others. Such values continue to perpetuate the notion that physical
punishment for children is necessary to ensure that they grow uprightly and,
in a manner that will be beneficial to them in their personal development.
This paper being a comparative study on the national policies for alternative
disciplinary processes for learners in Kenyan and South African Schools aims
to break down the existing legislations and policies that prohibit corporal
punishment in Kenya. The methodology within this paper is pure desk
research that relies on articles, books, journals and other sources from
academic and professional platforms that highlight the topical issues being
tackled herewith. The problems of the existing framework on corporal
punishment in Kenya are dissected to bring out its shortcomings. The
landscape and indiscipline within the Kenyan education system are
highlighted as well as that of South Africa. South Africa having established
reforms against corporal punishment becomes a crucial jurisdiction for this
study as it provides lessons that Kenya can learn from the South African
Experience. From this paper, it is evident that the prohibition of corporal
punishment within the education system does not in any way create a gap in
terms of disciplining children but rather creates an alternative means of
instilling discipline in children, an alternative that is effective in nature and
one that has a positive impact
