Beyond the Cane: 92.7% of Lagos Pupils Back Non-Violent Classroom Discipline

​A groundbreaking study has revealed that 92.7 per cent of students surveyed in Lagos State believe teachers can successfully maintain classroom order and discipline without resorting to corporal punishment.

​Presented by the Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation during a stakeholder engagement organised by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), the findings challenge long-held anxieties among educators. Many school administrators and teachers have frequently argued that strict state prohibitions against caning have severely compromised their authority over students. However, the research uncovered a striking perceptual gap, proving that pupils themselves recognize and respect teacher authority even in the absence of physical punishment.

​Shifting the Paradigm of Control

​The interactive session—held for principals, heads of schools, and administrators from Education District IV at Lagos City Senior School Hall, Sabo-Yaba—focused heavily on bridging the gap between traditional discipline and modern child-protection policies.

​According to the report, effective classroom management does not require physical force. Instead, the study outlined sustainable, child-friendly strategies that educators can utilize to address misconduct, including:

ADVERTISEMENT

• ​Clear Classroom Rules: Establishing transparent, predictable boundaries and expectations.
• ​Appropriate Consequences: Enforcing logical, corrective measures rather than punitive violence.
• ​Parental Engagement: Collaborating closely with families to address behavioral issues at the root.
• ​Professional Counselling: Guiding students through emotional and behavioral challenges constructively.
• ​Incident Documentation: Keeping systematic records to track patterns and measure behavioral improvements.

​Protecting Dignity and Safety

​Reiterating the state government’s stance, DSVA Executive Secretary Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi urged school leaders to prioritize child safety and human dignity above all else. She stressed that true discipline should guide children toward becoming responsible, self-regulated individuals rather than instilling compliance through fear.

​Further presentations by child advocates, including Amelia Kentebe, introduced school leaders to practical, non-violent frameworks designed to ease the transition away from corporal punishment. The program forms a critical component of Lagos State’s wider enforcement of its Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, cementing a zero-tolerance approach toward physical violence across public and private educational institutions.