Schools spare the cane

Corporal punishment is a practice that is intrinsically embedded in the culture of Batswana and many African countries. In fact, a research by a Harvard University scholar last year found out that only 53 countries in the world have abolished the practice. However, the practice recently came to a grinding halt due the outbreak of coronavirus. Mmegi staffer, LEBOGANG MOSIKARE follows the story

FRANCISTOWN: In Botswana, corporal punishment is practiced at homes hence it is not surprising that it is still a norm even in schools.

For most Batswana, the idiom “spare the rod and spoil the child” is a truism that should be practiced in order to instil discipline in children.  In fact, the practice is so prevalent that even the country’s laws recognise it as a form of punishment for people who commit minor offences.

Editor's Comment
Time to end informal sector fronting

The Francistown Umbrella Informal Sector chairperson, David Mbulawa, has highlighted this growing concern, revealing that many local traders are using their licences to facilitate the entry of foreign goods into the market at a fee.Fronting undermines the very fabric of our local economy. It allows foreign traders to exploit the system designed to benefit Batswana, using local licences to cross borders and sell goods at prices intended for local...

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