31 Aug 2025

Corporal punishment is not the only form of discipline, as there are other positive ways of building better learners and responsible citizens.  

Responding to come comments raised during a kgotla meeting in Shorobe, Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, Ms Lesego Chombo said parents should teach children about the consequences of their actions, which would foster a sense of responsibility.

Some parents had earlier expressed concern that the abolition of corporal punishment in schools had exacerbated misconduct among learners.

 As such, Ms Chombo encouraged parents to play an active role and teach their children moral values, respect and good behaviour from an early age in order to make teachers’ role fulfilling.

A child nurtured with values in the family, she said became easier to guide at school. 

“As the Setswana idiom says Lore lo ojwa lo sale metsi, I encourage you to instil moral virtues in children at home as a foundation for building an effective and decent society,” Ms Chombo said.

A strong family foundation, she said remained most effective way to positively shape the future of the children and encouraged parents to exercise their responsibilities.

Also, she challenged parents to instill moral values amongst their children by being exemplary or being role model.

North West District Council chairperson, Mr Itumeleng Kelebetseng also shared Minister’s sentiments that parents should play their role in upbringing of their children as they were under their custody most of the time. 

He expressed concern that juvenile delinquency was rampant in the district especially in schools, saying recently about 31 learners were suspended at Moeti Junior Secondary School for drinking alcohol and raping one of their fellow learners.

“This is an indication that parents are not doing enough to reprimand or discipline their children and when discipline is neglected at home, there is no how teachers can win at school,” he added noting that parents had a duty to ensure children embraced basic morals.

He said teachers could only build upon foundations already laid by parents.

Meanwhile, some residents raised concern that they were not able to fully play a key role in their children’s education and provided parental guidance and support as they accessed education in boarding facilities such as Makalamabedi Junior Secondary School.

They called on government to consider constructing a junior school in Shorobe to cater for Khwai, Mababe, Sankoyo, Matsaudi and Matlapana villages saying that would help them play a role in disciplining their children.

Currently, they said a number of learners from their village had been suspended from the school on allegation that they killed some chicken and grilled them but as parents they could not follow the issue to the letter because they were economically challenged. ENDS