OUTLAWING OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN LAGOS STATE

*THE ILLEGALITY OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT OF STUDENTS IN LAGOS STATE*: A CRITICAL  ANALYSIS OF THE POLICY: ADENAYA, A.O
There was a circular to schools recently on this issue. From the release, we read that "Caning, beating or physical torture of school children has been outlawed entirely, and declared both illegal and criminally culpable throughout the state since July 2011." It says further that "This is in recognition of the basic human rights of school children in Lagos State, which till date is the only state in Nigeria with this law." And that: *"Teachers are no longer considered authority figures granted the same rights as parents to punish students in their care, if they do not adhere*.
Unfortunately and sadly, the circular was silent on the modus operandi of maintaining law and order in the schools!!  That Lagos State, the Centre Of Excellence, is the *only* State in Nigeria that has prohibited Corporal Punishment in her schools is a commendable one. The State is truly the pacesetter of the nation's advancement. However, assessing the enactment objectively and critically, one needs to ask some questions:
1. Since the year 2011 that the law has been in existence, to what extent has it benefitted the learners concerned?
2. Has the law improved the cordial relationship between the teachers and the learners?
3. In what way is the present system better than the previous one?
4. To what extent has the era of *no punishment* improved the performance of the learners in Lagos State Schools? These and more questions are begging for responses.

To start with, every coin has two sides. Even death, as dreadful as it is, has its own benefits!  Corporal Punishment is not an exception. The essence of any punishment is to reform and not to deform: to build and not to maim; to encourage good conducts and performances and not otherwise. I am quite aware of some teachers who flog their learners like when herdsmen descend on erring cattle! I know of teachers who use handy objects like wood, shoes, bunch of broom and so on to hit their learners arbitrarily! I am also not blind to those ones who use their heavy hands and even legs to settle scores with the children under their tutorship!!! These people, to say the least, are the misfits or cheats in the name of teachers we have in the teaching profession. This alone, is enough for any Government that cares to outlaw the barbaric practices. Looking at it from this angle, the Lagos State Government deserves a pat at the back.

On the other hand, the policy makers need to assess the situations in the schools today and determine the workability or otherwise of the policy. Critically and objectively viewed, the law has *NOT* achieved the desired results! It needs to be said that the observed situations that led to the enactment of the law exist in every profession!! We have heard of a surgeon who left surgical blade or so in the stomach of his patient, let alone those who, out of nonchalant attitude sent many patients to the great world beyond! Can we talk about several innocent people that have been killed by our law enforcement agents through the "accidental discharges of their A.K 47 riffles! The government has not prohibited the use of the weapons by the security personnel because of these avoidable mortal accidents! Also wigs are not removed from the lawyers who through careless infractions have their clients sent to prisons! In other words, no profession is free from one hazard or the other. The management of the problem is what should be the priority of the concerned authority. It is very unwise to use a problem to create  more problems.

The studies on line that the teachers are referred to in the circular are Western World based! That is, Florida, Georgia, Northern/Southern Carolina, Texas etc in the United States! Are Nigerian Children not different in skin, colour, culture, academic background and even in home training from their counterpart in the Western World? Is this not the same problem that is plaguing Nigeria from development? Nigeria, a country over blessed with both human and material resources and at over fifty  still managing to crawl!! We always look up to the Western World in everything and still, lack the willpower and attitude to do things aright as we see them do!

I make bold to say that I am a researcher on Discipline. I have my established facts and  figures to prove that Corporal Punishment, if sparingly and judiciously used is an *excellent* way to promote discipline, at least in Nigeria, today! I used it throughout my teaching years and I am *blessed* for it. Anybody who doubts my stand should challenge me for an open debate. I will foot the bill. Let me just use a case out of many to illustrate this stand.
I am from a polygamous family. My father was a laissez faire in handling children. Having discovered this weakness in my father, my mother became tough with her own children. She believed, as I also share with her till today, in reward and punishment. She could sell herself to please any of her children who behaved well and vice versa. My sister was promoted from one class to another and my mother rejected it! The headmaster refused to bulge and my mother withdrew her to another school! I was beaten and sentenced to cutting grass for running away from Yoruba lessons in my "form 4" in the Secondary School. I hated the subject then. I went back home late. My mother queried me why I was late and I explained to her.  She replied me in an ironical way: "Don't mind those teachers. They behave as if they do not have children at home":  About 20 mins later, she sent for me to come and collect my lunch in her room. As soon as I entered, she locked the door, picked up a long whip that had just been cut from the back of our house and decorated my body with it. That was her system of dealing with any child of hers who went astray and once the door was locked, she would not open it until justice was done! The next day, she took me back to the school, showed the effects of her punishment to the Yoruba teacher and ordered me to prostrate in appreciation of the punishment the teacher gave me. Having appreciated him profusely, she handed me over to him. All the teachers in the staff room applauded my mother! Since that day, I became the toy of almost all the teachers in the school. Those who had never shown interest in me made me their  "boy"!! The Yoruba Subject Teacher made me the "Governor" of his class. Today, Yoruba Language is my means of livelihood!
As I had earlier released in my research findings on Discipline, learners in Nigeria can be classified into THREE:
Group A: *The Gems*: Members of this group are obedient, studious, peaceful and cooperative. They come to school regularly and punctually. They are the ones that always sweep the compound. Head boy/head girl, library, health and punctuality prefects in particular, often come from this group. This group is the Pride of any worthwhile institution. Corporal Punishment *is NOT* for this group at all. Words of encouragement is  the bottle of tonic for the learners that form this group. They look up to ideal role models in life!
Group B: *Bendistees*: The learners here are not really bad except that they lack certain home training. They are ready to learn if given the opportunity. Members of this group can be easily influenced positively or negatively. With proper mentoring and counselling, many of them change with ease. However, in schools where they are not recognised and appreciated, they go astray! Corporal Punishment is occasionally necessary to tackle certain knotty problems associated with a number of them. Members of this group are also considered for certain offices like labour, utility, sports prefects and so on.
Group C: *The Suprados*
This is the real problem of any school. They are few but powerful and notorious! They are very confrontational and hardened!! They are the Custodians of hard drugs, charms, stolen cell phones and are full of satanic practices. They subject their juniors and even mates to all forms of corporal punishments openly and secretly in the schools. They do not have regard for the authorities of their schools. They move from school to school during inter house sports, football matches and other festive occasions to create chaos. They have god fathers outside the school. Demonstrate love to members of this group, they will abuse it! You are truly their "master" if only  you support them in their waywardness! They are the originators of *SCHOOL 2*!!!  This is a dreaded rendezvous, around a school, where they smoke, rape and commit criminal activities!! Where there is no *tough* disciplinary action, this group will take full charge of such an institution. The innocent students often suffer terribly from the devilish hands of these criminals in the school uniforms! In essence, the so called "learners" here deserve nothing short of Corporal Punishment, as they also treat innocent children. *Stubbornness is rooted in the heart of a child but the rod of correction drives it away.*  (Proverbs 29 vs  17) When this fear is thrown in them, as they offer to others, their ego and pride will be greatly challenged hence a soft ground for a  meaningful counseling has been cleared. It is for this purpose that hardened criminals are tortured by the law enforcement authorities, when arrested, before confessional statements are made.
We are all aware of a secondary school student in Lagos State, who recently sold his colleague!  We are also aware of secondary school students who went to meet their biology mistress at home  and  told her with effrontery that they came to visit her for the practical aspect of what she taught them in the biology lab!!! They gang raped her!!! That students  use dangerous weapons and charms to attack their colleagues and even teachers on the school premises is no longer news in Lagos State Public Schools today! What about the emergence of Secret Cults, even in our primary schools, let alone secondary institutions! How do the Policy Makers in Lagos State expect the authorities of the learning institutions to tackle these menace and others? Is it through a mother like love? *These and others call for a very deep reflection and urgent actions* from Lagos State Government.
Before closing this piece, I want us to have an insight into the situation of Discipline in some schools I visited recently. I did this to assess the attitude of the teachers and students to the "NO PUNISHMENT " order in Lagos State Schools. Actually the phrase, " No Punishment" in schools is misleading!  The articles of the law banning Corporal Punishment in Lagos State *must* have been misquoted and interpreted wrongly!   How will there be no punishment! Once there is no punishment, there will be no authority or control! Lawlessness and anarchy will surly reign supreme in all the schools! But the circular in question is emphatic on the teachers " having no authority as given the parents to punish the children under them."  Since the law recognises the parents in that respect, the law to ban the same parents from further bothering the teachers with the disciplinary problems of
 their children should be enacted immediately!
This policy has no doubt given birth to a new dawn in the Education System Of Lagos State! How?
*MY RECENT  STUDY AND FINDINGS ON THE POLICY*
No Of Schools Covered= *20*
Research Tools= *Observation*
FINDINGS: (1) A large no of teachers have been demoralised as a result of this policy. They now concentrate  mainly on teaching without much, if  at all, any concern for discipline, the key to a purposeful life of their learners. For instance, while exchanging batters with some teachers in the staffroom of a school, a girl came in weeping profusely. She reported to a teacher that a boy slapped her. The marks were visible on her cheeks. The teacher concerned simply pointed to the direction of the principal's office with the order:  "Go and report!" As soon as the girl went out, a mistress remarked: " But you should have sent for the boy!" The teacher replied: " So that I'll become a judge without the authority  to rule!"  While leaving the staffroom, a teacher I assumed to be on duty saw three boys roaming the compound: "You there! Go down on your knees!" He snapped. Without looking back, the boys disappeared to a corner. Cleverly, the man was able to arrest one of them."Where are others? " He queried the boy. "I'm the only one." He lied. " "O.k, follow me!" The teacher held him by the hand. "What have I done now?" The boy protested as he struggled to gain his freedom. While this was going on, two teachers came out of their classes to complement the efforts of the man.

While being seen off by two teachers in another school, during break, two students were seen fighting with many others  watching. As we were approaching them, I was expecting the crowd to disappear! Only a negligible percentage of the audience ran away. Unfortunately again, my hosts were unconcerned! I felt bad and challenged them. One of them replied thus: " Oga, schools today are different from what they were during your time! Do you know that a teacher might be harmed by these hooligans and nothing ; sir, I say nothing will come out of it!"
(2)  Many students are aware of this policy of "No Punishment"  and are using it to become loose and even notorious! For instance, at break time in  another school, a food vendor was embittered about the rudeness of a girl to her. She threatened to report to a particular teacher. This girl had the effrontery of replying thus: "Do you mean Mr...........? ( to remain as anonymous) You've made a mistake, the Oga patapata will help you better!" In this same school, I decided to act a mini drama with the boys playing ball in a small courtyard. I expected them to stop playing the ball as I attempted to cross but the opposite was the case. I asked them to handover the ball to me. One of them asked stupidly: " Who is this guy?" I picked a small stick from the side of their small "stadium" and in a moment, one of them remarked: "Sé e lè nà wá ni?" That is, "Can you beat us?"
(3) The level of lateness to schools has increased tremendously!  Apart from the known problems of bad roads and the dearth of vehicles to some schools, many learners do not just care about when they get to schools. Many, though late, will still hang around for shopping.  For instance, I was in front of a school by 6.30 in the morning and found out that about four students had resumed before I got there! In the same school, a large number of students came in between 7.30 and 8.30 am. The last latecomer, at least while I was there, came in at exactly 9.15 am. The two teachers that met me at the gate side could not help the situation at all. Like traffic wardens, they kept on beckoning to the latecomers to run. While some recognized them, others were busy buying one thing or the other. By 7.58 am , the two teachers vacated the gate side. This is almost the case in all the schools sampled early in the morning.

*RECOMMENDATIONS*
(1) The law makers should revisit the law forbidden Corporal Punishment in the schools. It has *not* achieved the desired results.
(2) Law makers and other concerned Government Functionaries are hereby challenged to authenticate the findings of this study by replicating it *confidentially*
(3) It is not easy for a teacher to stand before a hundred , let alone thousands of children without an "authority" to make them behave. Mere "shouting" has never and will never solve this problem! A cane is necessary, at least as a threat.  After all , should there be a riot in a primary school, to say the least, that calls for the invitation of law enforcement agents, the police, for sure,  will not be there with sticks but teargas and even live ammunitions!!! Are the teachers standing in the midst of these children every now and then invincible or angels?
(4). Nigeria is a peculiar Country with her peculiar children and problems.  Using the findings on education and discipline peculiar to Western World Children without any form of modifications to solve the peculiar problems of the Nigerian Children is fraught with danger. After all, Nigerian Children are different from those of the other continents in skin, colour, background, environments and so on. Can we compare the population of students in a class in an American School to that of a class in a public school in Lagos State in particular? Or is it  the type of training and recognition given to teachers in London  or Ireland that is given to Nigerian teachers? These and more are the reasons why we need to carry out meaningful researches into the problems of Education in Nigeria with the intent to providing  lasting solutions to its peculiar problems. This brings to mind the view of one of the legends of Education in Nigeria, Professor Babs Fafunwa, of blessed memory: "Nigerian Education System is like Joseph's multi coloured cloak patchy in places with threads running in all directions. It seems the system lack direction and growth and it is often haphazard and disorganised." What else? This was said over  four decades ago and the situation is getting worse today!
(5) Seminars and workshops should be organised for the teachers from time to time on the maintenance of discipline in schools. They need a sound Knowledge of the *PSYCHOLOGY OF PUNISHMENT*!!
(6) In the absence of Corporal Punishment, appropriate sanctions for all forms of indiscipline in the schools such as cultism, hooliganism, vandalism, alcoholism, bully, rioting and the recently embraced MARLIANS. ....a situation where female members must not  use under wears and brassieres and male members must also dress funnily in a particular way! Where are we going with these "angels" that the teachers must regard as "Sacred Cows" even while in the learning institutions!
(7) The teachers, as in  Loco parentis should be models to the learners while in the school. They should always remember that the children are looking up to them as mirrors by which they want to evaluate themselves. The children, being at a formative stage, idolize adults that attract them in one way or the other and may want to adopt same as role models in life.  Most children are in their best when noticed, recognized, appreciated and valued by the adults.
Let us strive with might and main to bring out  the BEST in our learners through cordial relationship that is free from threat, fear, hatred and the like. The rewards of the teachers indeed  are no longer in heaven alone but in this mortal world! The rewards are just too precious to be quantified! Let us be proud of the fact that we teachers, are the   Builders and Pillars of any worthwhile nation.
*CONCLUSION*: It is sad that the so called "basic human rights of the children" granted the learners without restrictions in Lagos State Primary and Secondary Schools is being abused and misused by the misguided learners who have almost taken over the control of schools from their teachers!  Some of  the learners, with impunity, now use the freedom granted them to infringe on the basic human rights of others!  On the other hand, many teachers erroneously consider the policy as an absolute freedom for the learners and in an attempt to protect their daily bread consider their learners as untouchable! Today, the discipline of the children  mostly rest on the accounting officers that really care. The policy of many teachers in Lagos State Primary and Secondary Schools today is: "Teach and leave the rest in your own best  interest." Based on the foregoing, it behoves on me to submit that if God punishes sinners, civil courts sentence law breakers, not only to imprisonment but death and Sharia court flogs adulterers and adulteresses, I see no reason why "learners" who are not better than criminals should be spared the rod at the time they can be easily salvaged. A fish is better shaped only when it is fresh. A dry fish is bound to break into pieces hence  the urgent need to safe the misguided ones when the hope abound. To psychologically decongest the Nation's prisons that have filled up to the rooftops, the process must commence from our primary schools today.*THE ILLEGALITY OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT OF STUDENTS IN LAGOS STATE*: A CRITICAL  ANALYSIS OF THE POLICY: ADENAYA, A.O
There was a circular to schools recently on this issue. From the release, we read that "Caning, beating or physical torture of school children has been outlawed entirely, and declared both illegal and criminally culpable throughout the state since July 2011." It says further that "This is in recognition of the basic human rights of school children in Lagos State, which till date is the only state in Nigeria with this law." And that: *"Teachers are no longer considered authority figures granted the same rights as parents to punish students in their care, if they do not adhere*.
Unfortunately and sadly, the circular was silent on the modus operandi of maintaining law and order in the schools!!  That Lagos State, the Centre Of Excellence, is the *only* State in Nigeria that has prohibited Corporal Punishment in her schools is a commendable one. The State is truly the pacesetter of the nation's advancement. However, assessing the enactment objectively and critically, one needs to ask some questions:
1. Since the year 2011 that the law has been in existence, to what extent has it benefitted the learners concerned?
2. Has the law improved the cordial relationship between the teachers and the learners?
3. In what way is the present system better than the previous one?
4. To what extent has the era of *no punishment* improved the performance of the learners in Lagos State Schools? These and more questions are begging for responses.

To start with, every coin has two sides. Even death, as dreadful as it is, has its own benefits!  Corporal Punishment is not an exception. The essence of any punishment is to reform and not to deform: to build and not to maim; to encourage good conducts and performances and not otherwise. I am quite aware of some teachers who flog their learners like when herdsmen descend on erring cattle! I know of teachers who use handy objects like wood, shoes, bunch of broom and so on to hit their learners arbitrarily! I am also not blind to those ones who use their heavy hands and even legs to settle scores with the children under their tutorship!!! These people, to say the least, are the misfits or cheats in the name of teachers we have in the teaching profession. This alone, is enough for any Government that cares to outlaw the barbaric practices. Looking at it from this angle, the Lagos State Government deserves a pat at the back.

On the other hand, the policy makers need to assess the situations in the schools today and determine the workability or otherwise of the policy. Critically and objectively viewed, the law has *NOT* achieved the desired results! It needs to be said that the observed situations that led to the enactment of the law exist in every profession!! We have heard of a surgeon who left surgical blade or so in the stomach of his patient, let alone those who, out of nonchalant attitude sent many patients to the great world beyond! Can we talk about several innocent people that have been killed by our law enforcement agents through the "accidental discharges of their A.K 47 riffles! The government has not prohibited the use of the weapons by the security personnel because of these avoidable mortal accidents! Also wigs are not removed from the lawyers who through careless infractions have their clients sent to prisons! In other words, no profession is free from one hazard or the other. The management of the problem is what should be the priority of the concerned authority. It is very unwise to use a problem to create  more problems.

The studies on line that the teachers are referred to in the circular are Western World based! That is, Florida, Georgia, Northern/Southern Carolina, Texas etc in the United States! Are Nigerian Children not different in skin, colour, culture, academic background and even in home training from their counterpart in the Western World? Is this not the same problem that is plaguing Nigeria from development? Nigeria, a country over blessed with both human and material resources and at over fifty  still managing to crawl!! We always look up to the Western World in everything and still, lack the willpower and attitude to do things aright as we see them do!

I make bold to say that I am a researcher on Discipline. I have my established facts and  figures to prove that Corporal Punishment, if sparingly and judiciously used is an *excellent* way to promote discipline, at least in Nigeria, today! I used it throughout my teaching years and I am *blessed* for it. Anybody who doubts my stand should challenge me for an open debate. I will foot the bill. Let me just use a case out of many to illustrate this stand.
I am from a polygamous family. My father was a laissez faire in handling children. Having discovered this weakness in my father, my mother became tough with her own children. She believed, as I also share with her till today, in reward and punishment. She could sell herself to please any of her children who behaved well and vice versa. My sister was promoted from one class to another and my mother rejected it! The headmaster refused to bulge and my mother withdrew her to another school! I was beaten and sentenced to cutting grass for running away from Yoruba lessons in my "form 4" in the Secondary School. I hated the subject then. I went back home late. My mother queried me why I was late and I explained to her.  She replied me in an ironical way: "Don't mind those teachers. They behave as if they do not have children at home":  About 20 mins later, she sent for me to come and collect my lunch in her room. As soon as I entered, she locked the door, picked up a long whip that had just been cut from the back of our house and decorated my body with it. That was her system of dealing with any child of hers who went astray and once the door was locked, she would not open it until justice was done! The next day, she took me back to the school, showed the effects of her punishment to the Yoruba teacher and ordered me to prostrate in appreciation of the punishment the teacher gave me. Having appreciated him profusely, she handed me over to him. All the teachers in the staff room applauded my mother! Since that day, I became the toy of almost all the teachers in the school. Those who had never shown interest in me made me their  "boy"!! The Yoruba Subject Teacher made me the "Governor" of his class. Today, Yoruba Language is my means of livelihood!
As I had earlier released in my research findings on Discipline, learners in Nigeria can be classified into THREE:
Group A: *The Gems*: Members of this group are obedient, studious, peaceful and cooperative. They come to school regularly and punctually. They are the ones that always sweep the compound. Head boy/head girl, library, health and punctuality prefects in particular, often come from this group. This group is the Pride of any worthwhile institution. Corporal Punishment *is NOT* for this group at all. Words of encouragement is  the bottle of tonic for the learners that form this group. They look up to ideal role models in life!
Group B: *Bendistees*: The learners here are not really bad except that they lack certain home training. They are ready to learn if given the opportunity. Members of this group can be easily influenced positively or negatively. With proper mentoring and counselling, many of them change with ease. However, in schools where they are not recognised and appreciated, they go astray! Corporal Punishment is occasionally necessary to tackle certain knotty problems associated with a number of them. Members of this group are also considered for certain offices like labour, utility, sports prefects and so on.
Group C: *The Suprados*
This is the real problem of any school. They are few but powerful and notorious! They are very confrontational and hardened!! They are the Custodians of hard drugs, charms, stolen cell phones and are full of satanic practices. They subject their juniors and even mates to all forms of corporal punishments openly and secretly in the schools. They do not have regard for the authorities of their schools. They move from school to school during inter house sports, football matches and other festive occasions to create chaos. They have god fathers outside the school. Demonstrate love to members of this group, they will abuse it! You are truly their "master" if only  you support them in their waywardness! They are the originators of *SCHOOL 2*!!!  This is a dreaded rendezvous, around a school, where they smoke, rape and commit criminal activities!! Where there is no *tough* disciplinary action, this group will take full charge of such an institution. The innocent students often suffer terribly from the devilish hands of these criminals in the school uniforms! In essence, the so called "learners" here deserve nothing short of Corporal Punishment, as they also treat innocent children. *Stubbornness is rooted in the heart of a child but the rod of correction drives it away.*  (Proverbs 29 vs  17) When this fear is thrown in them, as they offer to others, their ego and pride will be greatly challenged hence a soft ground for a  meaningful counseling has been cleared. It is for this purpose that hardened criminals are tortured by the law enforcement authorities, when arrested, before confessional statements are made.
We are all aware of a secondary school student in Lagos State, who recently sold his colleague!  We are also aware of secondary school students who went to meet their biology mistress at home  and  told her with effrontery that they came to visit her for the practical aspect of what she taught them in the biology lab!!! They gang raped her!!! That students  use dangerous weapons and charms to attack their colleagues and even teachers on the school premises is no longer news in Lagos State Public Schools today! What about the emergence of Secret Cults, even in our primary schools, let alone secondary institutions! How do the Policy Makers in Lagos State expect the authorities of the learning institutions to tackle these menace and others? Is it through a mother like love? *These and others call for a very deep reflection and urgent actions* from Lagos State Government.
Before closing this piece, I want us to have an insight into the situation of Discipline in some schools I visited recently. I did this to assess the attitude of the teachers and students to the "NO PUNISHMENT " order in Lagos State Schools. Actually the phrase, " No Punishment" in schools is misleading!  The articles of the law banning Corporal Punishment in Lagos State *must* have been misquoted and interpreted wrongly!   How will there be no punishment! Once there is no punishment, there will be no authority or control! Lawlessness and anarchy will surly reign supreme in all the schools! But the circular in question is emphatic on the teachers " having no authority as given the parents to punish the children under them."  Since the law recognises the parents in that respect, the law to ban the same parents from further bothering the teachers with the disciplinary problems of
 their children should be enacted immediately!
This policy has no doubt given birth to a new dawn in the Education System Of Lagos State! How?
*MY RECENT  STUDY AND FINDINGS ON THE POLICY*
No Of Schools Covered= *20*
Research Tools= *Observation*
FINDINGS: (1) A large no of teachers have been demoralised as a result of this policy. They now concentrate  mainly on teaching without much, if  at all, any concern for discipline, the key to a purposeful life of their learners. For instance, while exchanging batters with some teachers in the staffroom of a school, a girl came in weeping profusely. She reported to a teacher that a boy slapped her. The marks were visible on her cheeks. The teacher concerned simply pointed to the direction of the principal's office with the order:  "Go and report!" As soon as the girl went out, a mistress remarked: " But you should have sent for the boy!" The teacher replied: " So that I'll become a judge without the authority  to rule!"  While leaving the staffroom, a teacher I assumed to be on duty saw three boys roaming the compound: "You there! Go down on your knees!" He snapped. Without looking back, the boys disappeared to a corner. Cleverly, the man was able to arrest one of them."Where are others? " He queried the boy. "I'm the only one." He lied. " "O.k, follow me!" The teacher held him by the hand. "What have I done now?" The boy protested as he struggled to gain his freedom. While this was going on, two teachers came out of their classes to complement the efforts of the man.

While being seen off by two teachers in another school, during break, two students were seen fighting with many others  watching. As we were approaching them, I was expecting the crowd to disappear! Only a negligible percentage of the audience ran away. Unfortunately again, my hosts were unconcerned! I felt bad and challenged them. One of them replied thus: " Oga, schools today are different from what they were during your time! Do you know that a teacher might be harmed by these hooligans and nothing ; sir, I say nothing will come out of it!"
(2)  Many students are aware of this policy of "No Punishment"  and are using it to become loose and even notorious! For instance, at break time in  another school, a food vendor was embittered about the rudeness of a girl to her. She threatened to report to a particular teacher. This girl had the effrontery of replying thus: "Do you mean Mr...........? ( to remain as anonymous) You've made a mistake, the Oga patapata will help you better!" In this same school, I decided to act a mini drama with the boys playing ball in a small courtyard. I expected them to stop playing the ball as I attempted to cross but the opposite was the case. I asked them to handover the ball to me. One of them asked stupidly: " Who is this guy?" I picked a small stick from the side of their small "stadium" and in a moment, one of them remarked: "Sé e lè nà wá ni?" That is, "Can you beat us?"
(3) The level of lateness to schools has increased tremendously!  Apart from the known problems of bad roads and the dearth of vehicles to some schools, many learners do not just care about when they get to schools. Many, though late, will still hang around for shopping.  For instance, I was in front of a school by 6.30 in the morning and found out that about four students had resumed before I got there! In the same school, a large number of students came in between 7.30 and 8.30 am. The last latecomer, at least while I was there, came in at exactly 9.15 am. The two teachers that met me at the gate side could not help the situation at all. Like traffic wardens, they kept on beckoning to the latecomers to run. While some recognized them, others were busy buying one thing or the other. By 7.58 am , the two teachers vacated the gate side. This is almost the case in all the schools sampled early in the morning.

*RECOMMENDATIONS*
(1) The law makers should revisit the law forbidden Corporal Punishment in the schools. It has *not* achieved the desired results.
(2) Law makers and other concerned Government Functionaries are hereby challenged to authenticate the findings of this study by replicating it *confidentially*
(3) It is not easy for a teacher to stand before a hundred , let alone thousands of children without an "authority" to make them behave. Mere "shouting" has never and will never solve this problem! A cane is necessary, at least as a threat.  After all , should there be a riot in a primary school, to say the least, that calls for the invitation of law enforcement agents, the police, for sure,  will not be there with sticks but teargas and even live ammunitions!!! Are the teachers standing in the midst of these children every now and then invincible or angels?
(4). Nigeria is a peculiar Country with her peculiar children and problems.  Using the findings on education and discipline peculiar to Western World Children without any form of modifications to solve the peculiar problems of the Nigerian Children is fraught with danger. After all, Nigerian Children are different from those of the other continents in skin, colour, background, environments and so on. Can we compare the population of students in a class in an American School to that of a class in a public school in Lagos State in particular? Or is it  the type of training and recognition given to teachers in London  or Ireland that is given to Nigerian teachers? These and more are the reasons why we need to carry out meaningful researches into the problems of Education in Nigeria with the intent to providing  lasting solutions to its peculiar problems. This brings to mind the view of one of the legends of Education in Nigeria, Professor Babs Fafunwa, of blessed memory: "Nigerian Education System is like Joseph's multi coloured cloak patchy in places with threads running in all directions. It seems the system lack direction and growth and it is often haphazard and disorganised." What else? This was said over  four decades ago and the situation is getting worse today!
(5) Seminars and workshops should be organised for the teachers from time to time on the maintenance of discipline in schools. They need a sound Knowledge of the *PSYCHOLOGY OF PUNISHMENT*!!
(6) In the absence of Corporal Punishment, appropriate sanctions for all forms of indiscipline in the schools such as cultism, hooliganism, vandalism, alcoholism, bully, rioting and the recently embraced MARLIANS. ....a situation where female members must not  use under wears and brassieres and male members must also dress funnily in a particular way! Where are we going with these "angels" that the teachers must regard as "Sacred Cows" even while in the learning institutions!
(7) The teachers, as in  Loco parentis should be models to the learners while in the school. They should always remember that the children are looking up to them as mirrors by which they want to evaluate themselves. The children, being at a formative stage, idolize adults that attract them in one way or the other and may want to adopt same as role models in life.  Most children are in their best when noticed, recognized, appreciated and valued by the adults.
Let us strive with might and main to bring out  the BEST in our learners through cordial relationship that is free from threat, fear, hatred and the like. The rewards of the teachers indeed  are no longer in heaven alone but in this mortal world! The rewards are just too precious to be quantified! Let us be proud of the fact that we teachers, are the   Builders and Pillars of any worthwhile nation.
*CONCLUSION*: It is sad that the so called "basic human rights of the children" granted the learners without restrictions in Lagos State Primary and Secondary Schools is being abused and misused by the misguided learners who have almost taken over the control of schools from their teachers!  Some of  the learners, with impunity, now use the freedom granted them to infringe on the basic human rights of others!  On the other hand, many teachers erroneously consider the policy as an absolute freedom for the learners and in an attempt to protect their daily bread consider their learners as untouchable! Today, the discipline of the children  mostly rest on the accounting officers that really care. The policy of many teachers in Lagos State Primary and Secondary Schools today is: "Teach and leave the rest in your own best  interest." Based on the foregoing, it behoves on me to submit that if God punishes sinners, civil courts sentence law breakers, not only to imprisonment but death and Sharia court flogs adulterers and adulteresses, I see no reason why "learners" who are not better than criminals should be spared the rod at the time they can be easily salvaged. A fish is better shaped only when it is fresh. A dry fish is bound to break into pieces hence  the urgent need to safe the misguided ones when the hope abound. To psychologically decongest the Nation's prisons that have filled up to the rooftops, the process must commence from our primary schools today.