Abstract

Corporal punishment is the use of physical force intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort for discipline, correction, and control, changing behaviour or in the belief of educating or bringing up the child. The purpose of the study was to explore teachers’ perspectives regarding the policy prohibiting the use of corporal punishment in Malawi primary schools. Specifically, the study sought to explore teachers’ perspectives on the policy, identify reasons for such views and discuss the effects that the identified teachers’ perspectives might have on the policy implementation and continued prevalence of corporal punishment in Malawi schools. The study targeted public primary school teachers. Data for the study were generated through qualitative research methods using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The main finding of the study is that there are mixed perspectives regarding the policy in question. Minority of the teachers had positive perspectives while the majority had negative views. The main argument is that the findings reflected a variety of teachers’ perspectives such as ignorance of the policy, resistance of the policy, adoption of the policy, and adaption of the policy. These views are consistent with issues discussed in the literature review and the conceptual framework of the study.

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School	: School of Education
Issued Date	: 2015

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