Govt. correct to revive corporal punishment, says villager

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 05 December 2017, 12:00AM

The government is correct with plans to bring back corporal punishment.

That’s the view of Eneliko Aveau, of Solosolo.

Aveau said he has carefully followed comments by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi with the idea of re-legislating corporal punishment.

“Being spanked is not a bad thing,” he told the Village Voice.

“We grew up with the sasa (discipline) and it never affected us because we are who we are today because of that sasa not only from the parents but from our teachers as well.

“We never had any school fights back in the days because we were scared of what’s coming the next day when we go back to school.

“I don’t know why the government took away corporal punishment in the first place because this is what happened.

“The students are playing around and think they can just have fights anywhere at any time because the teachers can’t do anything about it.

“However, as a youth who went through the sasa in school I’m glad the government has realized that this is the only way to stop these students from fighting in public.”

Moreover, Aveau say that parents must also play their part.

“Teachers, village matais as well as parents must work together to solve this problem,” he said.

“We have reached the time of fast-paced technological development and we are moving forward.

“Young ones are being influenced by these technologies and advanced way of life and we must work together to protect our children from the impact of these things.

“They are young and they can easily get influenced by these new things because their minds are still young.

“Parents must also discipline their children at home and show that it is not only the teacher’s job to do this.

“The teacher’s job is to teach the students but the parent’s job is to discipline their children so that when they come to school they should know what to do and what not to do.

“They should know how to sit, walk and talk in public places and most importantly they should know how to present themselves in front of people.

“As for the village members they should have strict punishment for students who are caught fighting or acting silly in public places.

“Each village has a matai counsel and they decide on the consequences for students who do not abide by the village rules, or the school or disobey their parents.

“If these groups of people work together there will be no problem at all because the student will know that there is a consequence to be paid if they disobey this.

“We will have no more fights in public because the students will keep in their minds the consequences of their actions.”

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 05 December 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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