Punishment for Misdemeanours in Zimbabwean Schools: Recommendations of Sixth Formers

Abstract

This study addresses the on-going debate in Zimbabwe about the differences between Group "A", that is, formerly, whites-only schools, and Group "B", that isformerly black schools. This paper is particularly concerned with punishment and discipline in the schools which we have researched through the eyes of sixth formers. One hundred and thirty-one boys suggested appropriated punishments for six misdemeanours. The school of the offender and the nature of the misdemeanour interacted to influence the harshness of the punishments recommended by the participants. Noisiness, smoking marijuana, and smoking and drinking were punished moreseverely when committed by a Group A pupil; lateness, truancy, and vandalism were punished more severely when committed by a Group B pupils. Boys ranked punishments similarly, discarding the notion that caning in particular is more acceptable in Group A schools. Between 28 and 60% of boys recommended caning for noisiness.

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