Dear Editor,
There is welcome news that President Granger does not intend that ‘Beating’ be a part of his three B’s initiative for education. There have always been mutterings and quotations from various political leaders about not beating, but they always succumb to the “consultative process”.
The Guyana Teachers’ Union (‘GTU against government’s plans to ban corporal punishment in schools’ Kaieteur News, October 28, 2015), it seems, wants to retain the power to beat children in the care of their members. Successive administrations might have made bold daring moves, but it seems an engagement of healing with the members of the GTU and other citizens who think beating children helps just does not happen.
There are many teachers who do not beat children. It is unfortunate that those teachers do not get to share their experiences and that these are not cascaded. A lot of personal transformation and unlearning is required to overcome to decide not to use violence towards children. It requires a lot of forgiveness of those who used to ‘beat us for our own good, or because we were bad.’
There is no doubt a war for the minds of children. For example, many minibus drivers and minibus owners at 2.30pm or near ‘lessons’ venues appeal apparently to the customer demand of schoolchildren to listen to music with lyrics which are geared towards demeaning people rather than building equality and consciousness. It is vicious ‒ the drivers sometimes seem to be powerless.
The alcohol advertisers and sellers do not restrain themselves.
No one expects the teachers to have the sole responsibility for discipline and nurturing learning environments. The responsibility has to be shared with the wider society, with the understanding that many adults are also indisciplined and contribute to the violence.
Yours faithfully,
Vidyaratha Kissoon
