THE IMPACT OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT ON STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
CHAPITER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 THE STUDY’S BACKGROUND
Corporal punishment is defined as the use of physical force intended to cause pain but no physical harm in order to correct or regulate a child’s behavior (Straus and Donnelly, 2005). Physical abuse is described as activities that put a person at danger of harm (such as punching, kicking, or burning), whereas corporal punishment is defined as actions that do not significantly hurt a person’s body (such as punishment and slapping) (Gershoff, 2002). The frequency and severity of corporal punishment vary from culture to culture, country to country, and situation to situation, and they are not uniformly defined or quantified (ibid). Patterson (1982) defined punishment as a form of discipline in which something unpleasant is present or positive reinforcement is withheld in response to inappropriate behavior in order to make it happen less frequently in the future. Authoritarian/totalitarian parents and teachers that utilize harsh punishment techniques on their kids often see antisocial behavior, academic failure, and social rejection as a result. Due to these factors, teenage misbehavior is more likely to occur and can reduce self-esteem and lead to depression (Patterson, 1982).
Many youngsters who have been hit, slapped, or subjected to other harsh forms of punishment have exhibited grief, anxiety, or wrath as a result; these kids frequently withdraw from school activities and lose interest in their studies. Additionally, the use of corporal punishment in a public school affects all pupils there, even those who are not struck or paddled physically. The pervasive use of physical aggression toward students creates a hostile learning environment that affects children’s academic achievement. Students who are given severe physical punishment do not behave better at school or do better academically. In fact, current research demonstrates that academic performance is lower in countries where physical punishment is frequently used than it is in places where it is not (Hickmon, 2008).
physical punishment is frequently used against both boys and girls in different ways and for different causes. Males receive more physical punishment than girls, according to recent studies (Boyle et al. 2002). Since there is a relationship between discipline and student performance, teachers in Africa who use physical punishment claim that it removes the authority of parents and teachers to govern their children, which has resulted in a high failure rate (Kilimci, 2009).
Banda (2010) believes that even while the physical harm to the body may be repaired, the emotional and psychological effects may have a substantial impact on the person. Soneson and Smith (2005) state that convincing research on corporal punishment demonstrates strong correlations between physical punishment and a range of negative emotional and psychological effects.
SITUATION OF THE PROBLEM
Students who are given severe physical punishment do not behave better at school or do better academically. In fact, current research demonstrates that academic performance is lower in countries where physical punishment is frequently used than it is in places where it is not (Hickmon, 2008). Many youngsters who have been hit, slapped, or subjected to other harsh forms of punishment have exhibited grief, anxiety, or wrath as a result; these kids frequently withdraw from school activities and lose interest in their studies.
Additionally, the use of corporal punishment in a public school affects all pupils there, even those who are not struck or paddled physically. The pervasive use of physical aggression toward students creates a hostile learning environment that affects children’s academic achievement.
This study aims to look into how pupils in particular private and public secondary schools in Ogun State perform academically after receiving corporal punishment.
1.3 STUDY’S OBJECTIVE
This study’s main goal is to find out how physical punishment affects students’ academic performance in a few Ogun State secondary schools that are both public and private. Consequently, the following research goals;
1. To ascertain whether corporal punishment of students has any effect on their academic performance.
2. To look at the types of corporal punishment used on pupils in Ogun State’s secondary public and private schools.
3. To ascertain how these sanctions affect students’ academic performance in Ogun State’s secondary public and private institutions.
1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH
This study is governed by the following research inquiries;
1. What connection exists between pupils’ academic success and physical punishment?
2. What forms of corporal punishment are used on students in Ogun State’s secondary public and private schools?
3. How do these sanctions affect pupils’ academic performance in Ogun State’s secondary public and private schools?
1.5 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER STUDIES
This study will be important because it would highlight the issue of physical punishment in secondary schools in Ogun State and prompt the government, school officials, and parents to take action against such penalties because it may impede children’ ability to perform better academically. Other academics who want to do research on the same topic or expand the scope of this study to another state will also find this study to be useful. Additional resources will be made available for researchers to use as references.
1.6 THE STUDY’S SCOPE
Only the effects of corporal punishment on pupils’ academic performance in a few Ogun State secondary schools will be the subject of this study. Therefore, only two public and private secondary schools would be used as samples out of the total number of secondary schools in Ogun State. The type of corporal punishment used on pupils in these schools will also be covered in this study. This study will also investigate whether there is a connection between corporal punishment and academic achievement.
Limitations of the research
The researcher’s ability to extend the scope of this study to more than just four selected secondary schools (two public and two private secondary schools) in Ogun state was constrained over the course of this investigation due to a lack of time and the necessary funding.
1.8 TERM DEFINITION
1. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT: This term describes a form of child discipline in which a supervising adult intentionally causes pain to a minor in retaliation for the minor’s incorrect behavior or language.
2. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: This term refers to the evaluation of a student’s performance in a range of academic topics.
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