Gen Otafiire Orders Arrest of Teachers Using Corporal Punishment.
Kampala, Uganda — Uganda’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire, has ordered a nationwide crackdown on corporal punishment in schools, directing police to arrest and prosecute any teachers or school administrators found caning or physically assaulting learners.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police, the minister expressed concern over “alarming reports” of continued physical abuse in schools, despite the government’s ban on corporal punishment.
The directive follows a surge in complaints from parents and child protection activists about the widespread use of caning and other forms of physical discipline, particularly in rural and under-supervised schools.
“We continue to receive alarming reports about administration of corporal punishment in schools, to the extent that some learners are injured but fear to report such incidents,” Otafiire wrote.
“I want to take this opportunity to warn all and sundry that corporal punishment is assault and a criminal offence punishable by law.”
According to the 2022 Uganda Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) conducted by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development in partnership with UNICEF and other agencies, over 75% of children aged 13–17 reported experiencing physical violence by teachers or school staff.
The report further revealed that more than 40% of these incidents occurred within the past year, underscoring the persistent nature of the problem.
Despite a 1997 government ban reinforced by the 2008 Education (Pre-Primary, Primary and Post-Primary) Act, corporal punishment has remained prevalent across Ugandan schools, often justified by teachers as a disciplinary tool.
However, child rights organizations argue that the practice not only violates the rights of learners but also leads to emotional trauma, school dropouts, and in extreme cases, severe injuries or death.
In his directive, Otafiire instructed the Uganda Police Force to treat corporal punishment as a form of assault and to open criminal cases against perpetrators.
“I henceforth direct Police to arrest and prosecute any teacher or school authority engaging in corporal punishments and any other form of assault on the learners,” he said.
The minister also called on the Ministry of Education and Sports to develop alternative disciplinary frameworks that do not involve violence.
“Ministry of Education and Sports should devise other methods of enforcing discipline other than physical assault,” he noted.
(feed news)