EDITORIAL: Where is the parental role in unruly learners’ lives?
The recent dismissal of a teacher at Hashiyana Primary School in Ongwediva has sparked nationwide outrage among his peers. Petrus Ndeulita allegedly forced a grade seven learner to hold a chair over his head for over an hour as a form of punishment. He told Namibian Sun this week that he imposed that punishment on the learner for his perpetual absenteeism from school.
Ill-discipline is a real pandemic in schools. And teachers are caught between letting sleeping dogs lie, or salvaging the situation through active intervention.
What is missing in this whole debate is the responsibility, and accountability, on the part of the parents of unruly children.
True, we learn from living. And - as one teacher remarked - kids will be kids, and from time to time, they will have lapses in judgment, make poor choices and have those ‘live and learn’ moments.
But when their bad behaviour becomes chronic, their parents have serious questions to answer. They barely answer anything, though, because they think teachers are there to educate their kids and raise them on their behalf.
Ndeulita’s actions may have been excessive. But where were the learner's parents when he missed school for 22 days and fed his teacher a cocktail of excuses for his chronic absenteeism? Ultimately, parental involvement in a child's discipline can greatly influence their development and success in school.
Ndeulita’s dismissal could open a Pandora's box of learners thinking they may now do as they please – and whoever dares to act will be sacked.
Ill-discipline is a real pandemic in schools. And teachers are caught between letting sleeping dogs lie, or salvaging the situation through active intervention.
What is missing in this whole debate is the responsibility, and accountability, on the part of the parents of unruly children.
True, we learn from living. And - as one teacher remarked - kids will be kids, and from time to time, they will have lapses in judgment, make poor choices and have those ‘live and learn’ moments.
But when their bad behaviour becomes chronic, their parents have serious questions to answer. They barely answer anything, though, because they think teachers are there to educate their kids and raise them on their behalf.
Ndeulita’s actions may have been excessive. But where were the learner's parents when he missed school for 22 days and fed his teacher a cocktail of excuses for his chronic absenteeism? Ultimately, parental involvement in a child's discipline can greatly influence their development and success in school.
Ndeulita’s dismissal could open a Pandora's box of learners thinking they may now do as they please – and whoever dares to act will be sacked.
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Namibian Sun
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