It is rather unfortunate that corporal punishment has, for the longest time, remained commonplace in many of our educational institutions, from public schools to madrasas, whereby students are punished physically for any and all actions considered “wrong.”
In fact, in many households and institutions, it still remains the norm, with little to no disregard for the detrimental effects such forms of punishment have on a child’s upbringing.
This is nothing short of abuse, and, after all, this is being carried out on the most vulnerable members of our society: Our children.
This is what makes the idea of corporal punishment so unpalatable: It targets the weak, it is carried out by individuals in positions of authority, and it can have severe long-term effects on a child’s psychological and physical development.
In the wake of this, it is a matter of great encouragement that religious leaders have gotten together to put a stop to this archaic practice once and for all, under the banner of Community Hope Action Team, or CHAT, which aims to inform imams and priests regarding what is essential for a child-friendly environment.
What is more is that they are also paying attention to the realm of verbal abuse, which too can have significant effects on a child’s psycho-social development.
At the end of the day, our children are our future, and this nation will be inherited by them. As such, we must ensure that all educational institutions pay the utmost attention to their wants and needs, and ensure that they grow into the future as healthy and productive members of society.
