Abstract

Historically, the Ghanaian education system has used corporal punishment to ensure discipline in pre-tertiary schools. The criticism of its effects led, in 2017, to the banning of this form of punishment in schools in Ghana. The rise in cases of indiscipline among students suggests that teachers in pre-tertiary educational institutions do not employ effective alternative measures to promote discipline. This qualitative case study sought to address the following questions: (a) How do teachers view their disciplinary capabilities in the post-corporal punishment period? and (b) How do teachers view the usefulness of alternative disciplinary measures? Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. We found that teachers generally felt disempowered in their ability to discipline students in schools because of the absence of corporal punishment. Teachers revealed that learners do not fear or respect them because they know that nothing would happen to them if they flouted school rules and regulations or teachers’ directives. Although teachers knew of alternative disciplinary measures, most of them considered them ineffective and time-consuming. Recommendations included the need for capacity-building sessions for teachers to focus on equipping them with knowledge and essential skills in alternative disciplinary strategies to effectively handle students’ misbehaviour and to channel their youthful energies to useful ends.

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