Stakeholders in the education sector weekend called for a comprehensive review of school discipline frameworks, stronger parental involvement and increased deployment of guidance counsellors to help schools manage student misconduct following the ban on corporal punishment.

They made the call at the Lagos State school discipline policy roundtable organised by the Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation (AAAF), with support from SIFAX Group, in Lagos.

The roundtable, themed, ‘Assessing the Impact of Banning Corporal Punishment on Discipline in Schools: Exploring Alternative Strategies for Managing Student Misconduct’, brought together policymakers, educators, students, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

The event also formed part of activities marking International Teachers’ Day and featured the recognition of outstanding teachers in Lagos State following AAAF’s statewide nomination exercise.

They include Mrs. Modupe Odumade of Ijaye Ojokoro Senior High School, who emerged as the highest-ranked teacher, followed by Mrs. ThankGod Priscilla, Mrs Ramota Balogun, Mr. Akinola Oluwatobi and James Mary Omolade.

The stakeholders called for increased recruitment of guidance counsellors, specialised teacher training and stronger collaboration among parents, schools and government agencies.

They agreed that sustainable reform of school discipline in Lagos required shared responsibility among government, schools, parents, civil society organisations and students.

According to them, “There is a need for clearer disciplinary procedures, stronger safeguarding mechanisms and sustained stakeholder engagement to ensure that school discipline promotes accountability while protecting the dignity and rights of learners.”

Participants agreed that although the ban on corporal punishment was consistent with child protection principles, schools needed clearer operational guidelines, stronger institutional support and effective alternatives for addressing behavioural challenges.

A statewide policy review conducted by AAAF across the five divisions of Lagos State provided a major focus of the discussions.

The study involved 451 students, 42 school leaders and teachers, while 150 students participated in focus group discussions across 15 schools.

Presenting the findings, the researchers said that while most students surveyed considered discipline in their schools to be relatively good, many educators expressed concerns about inadequate guidance on disciplinary alternatives following the ban on corporal punishment.

The report identified gaps in policy implementation, teacher capacity, institutional support and stakeholder engagement.

It recommended greater clarity in disciplinary policies, continuous teacher training, the development of school-level disciplinary frameworks, stronger parental participation and periodic reviews of discipline policies to reflect emerging realities.

The study also proposed structured escalation procedures for dealing with offences, with disciplinary measures made proportionate to the nature and severity of misconduct.

In his remarks, Chairman of SIFAX Group and Chairman, Board of Trustees of AAAF, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Strategy and Operations of the organisation, Oliver Omajuwa, said discipline remained fundamental to educational success and national development.

Declaring the roundtable opened, he stated that the discussion was not merely about policy but about safeguarding children’s future, strengthening teachers’ confidence and building a society anchored on responsibility and character.

He said schools should be environments where children could learn in safety and teachers could teach with dignity, adding that discipline should promote character, responsibility and growth rather than fear and resentment.

He urged stakeholders to approach the issue with open minds and develop practical solutions that would place the best interests of children at the centre of educational reforms.

Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Tolani Ali-Balogun, said discipline begins at home, arguing that many behavioural challenges confronting schools reflected wider societal problems.

He stated that while government policies were important, their effective implementation depended largely on cooperation among parents, schools and communities.

He expressed concern over what he described as a growing disconnect between parents and schools, noting that some parents failed to respond when invited to discuss behavioural concerns involving their children.

“We must create society first. It is not just about policy. Parents are critical to discipline,” he said, urging families to take greater responsibility for the moral upbringing of their children.

Also speaking, Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, explained that corporal punishment often failed to produce lasting behavioural change.

She advocated disciplinary approaches based on communication, guidance and accountability, describing physical punishment as a lazy approach that could create fear without necessarily developing character.

Participants also identified emerging challenges requiring new approaches to school discipline, including social media influence, changing family structures, peer pressure, mental health concerns and neurodiversity.

They stressed the need to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills required to understand and respond appropriately to these realities.

Students who participated in AAAF’s essay competition on school discipline also contributed to the debate, challenging stakeholders to move away from traditional punitive approaches towards strategies that develop character, responsibility and self-control.

The winner of the competition, Olachiwa Sharon Iwala, said true discipline should enable children to make responsible choices even when no authority figure was present.

She advocated guidance and counselling, restorative justice measures and clear disciplinary codes as alternatives to physical punishment.

Another student speaker, Anuoluwa Mudahiru, urged policymakers to move beyond the debate over whether teachers should flog students, arguing that greater attention should be given to building a school system capable of producing disciplined, responsible and self-motivated young people. (THISDAY)

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