Kelera Ditaiki 
Jai Narayan College Deputy Head Girl Hefrani Matavou.
Secondary school students in Suva are calling for discipline to start at home rather than through the reintroduction of corporal punishment in schools.
While some believe schools should focus on guidance instead of physical punishment, others say parents are finding it increasingly difficult to discipline their children because of concerns over children’s rights.
Students say parents play the most important role in shaping a child’s behaviour, arguing that values such as respect and responsibility should be taught from an early age.
Jai Narayan College Deputy Head Girl Hefrani Matavou says there should be a clear distinction between discipline and corporal punishment, warning that some teachers have abused their authority in the past under the guise of maintaining discipline.
She says that while schools should enforce rules, any form of punishment must protect students’ rights and well-being.
Meanwhile, a student from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School, Peni Ledua, believes the issue is more complex, saying many parents now find it difficult to discipline their children because children’s rights often limit how parents can respond to bad behaviour.
The differing views come as the debate over corporal punishment in schools continues, with students calling for solutions that promote discipline without compromising the safety and dignity of children.
