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Children's Rights Vs. The Rod.
Related to country: Uganda

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Spare the rod and spoil an African Child.

The new breed of African children has emerged with its own understanding of issues and privileges.
Children can now advocate for their rights. Africa has always been identified as a continent with many short comings, countries each with its own cultures, tribes and norms.
But now, looks like there is an immense transition as Africans set off through thick and thin on the road to civilization! Here some one will ask what civilization is and what the final stage of civilization is. This is a mystery! Considering even the nations we consider civilized believe they need more evolution, face challenges every other day of their life and need to learn from time to time. Take an example of Europe or the Americas. Most of the people describe civilization in reference to the western nations and cultures; good infrastructure, high standards of living, political stability, and a high income per capita are some of the assessments.
Regardless of our origins, tribes, cultures or opinion, I assume we pretty much have the same objectives and goals in life: a good family, good paying white collar job, politically stable Nations and maybe an eternal life (if its in your belief). However I should furthermore note that we have different attitudes which when combined with one’s background (maybe memories) create a big difference in people’s opinions on issues at hand all around the world.
However this whole fixation is not about cultures or tribes not even opinions. But it is just about “the way forward for an African child”.
The Baganda culture (one of the famous cultures in Uganda) had a centralized system of governance. The King (Kabaka) on top, parish chiefs, and then men elders as law enforcers on the community level and women and children at the bottom. It had landlord and tenant. Elders were some of the most important people and these did not have to be chiefs but whenever some one was older than you, you would have to recognize them as elders. Though formally term elder was a title given to the most important and successful “men” in the community. Following from this social organization, the children were not allowed to sit on chair while elders address them, not supposed to listen to or contribute on conversations between old people. Not supposed to describe elders by their name but rather by title. The elders were recognized by everyone in the community. Girls were not allowed to put on short skirts or trousers. Boys were supposed to put on shorts not until they were “18”. However an 18 year old was not an elder and would still be considered a child. The community members or an elder had the right to punish a child whenever he or she did wrong. Punishing in this sense meant beating or an option to perform a physical task maybe dig up on a samba. In the same sense, a father was known as the head of the family so this meant that he had the right to punish any one in his family his wife inclusive whenever they wronged. Women were very obedient to their husbands. The primary role of women was house work and working on the family plantation (sambas). And like I said the men were the family head so they spent most of their time in drinking groups, less time on the sambas and organizing community activities.
Children were supposed to help the women regards of their gender. And then when the missionaries introduced the first schools in Uganda then some of the parents who had realized education was “important” would send their children to primary and vocational schools.
In the African tradition therefore, it has always been an obligation of the whole community to discipline the children and teach them how to be responsible. And the major tool here has always been the rod.
In schools the rod is one of the “scholastic materials” that must be there for the pupils and students to learn! On different occasions, our class teachers used to command as to bring rods (sticks) that they would use to punish us when we did not perform well in class, spoke vernacular at school (any language that is not English), skipped a class, had fights with school mates or not respected the school rules and regulations. Under such circumstances, the teacher would give you a minimum of 5 strokes before you had to explain your “fault”. And once you were found guilty, the punishment would often be severe and “non-negotiable”. Did I mention that failure to bring a rod was punishable? Or that bringing a weak rod was punishable as well? Well, it was.
In those days it was essential for a student to be more careful on whatever they did. Not only around the school compass but also on their way home. For example if students had a misunderstanding on their way back home, and one reported the issue to the school administration, they would be punished as this was regarded as portraying an unfortunate image of their school.
I remember one teacher who would slap us in the face when he asked random questions about his subject and we could not answer. Some would pull your ears or pinch your checks until you scream and then weep!
The head mistress of my Primary school was a very good friend of mine and hence my family’s. She called me by my surname “Ssozi”, she was so proud of me. First of all I was one of the brightest students, one of the school’s pioneer students and one of the most active school choir members which at the time gave our school an incredible reputation to the district level. When I joined her school the year she established it as a pre primary student, I was leftie; even though this seems natural, it was trouble to me. When she realized I was leftie, she asked me to change and use my right hand for writing claiming that using the left hand was a sign of being lazy and literally improper. It was so hard for me adjust immediately. So, occasionally I would forget and use my left hand in class. That’s when she would bang my left hand and eventually I would realize I needed to switch to using the right. Little by little with sudden bangs I grasped that “right was proper and left improper” though it took me a while I must admit. At one point in time I hated her and her subject (English) but there was no chance that I would skip her lessons. And if any one was to skip, it had better not be me because I used to steak out a lot as I was supposed to take a front sit during her lesson and by all means she would recognize if I skipped. Yet whenever I missed her class, she would not wait for me to turn up the next day or so; she would pass by my home, during a lunch break or after classes to seek for an explanation for my absence. So, if I was ever to skip school, I would make sure there is a good reason for that, and that way my mom would back me up.
She was so proud of me. And I was so proud of her. But I was intimidated of her because she was strict, be very mad if wronged and worked by the book (school rules).
She passed away in 1997, it was a sudden death. Some people said she had contracted HIV/AIDs 10 years back before she graduated in a Primary Teachers College (P.T.C). It was terrible for me; the memories and agony.
After a few years I realized that all the punishments she gave me were worth it. I had good scored on my Primary Leaving Exams and many pupils in my school were proud of me.
From my punishment I got to learn to use my right hand which I still use up to now though I am still leftie!
These days a teacher cant command a pupil to bring a rod. And it is a crime for a teacher to use a rod on a pupil even when they have wronged as it is a violation of children’s rights. Children’s rights are however mainly recognized in city schools where pupils are from rich families, have back up from their studied parents, and have been sensitized about their rights.
In Uganda, Raising Voices Africa is one of the organizations that are advocating for and sensitizing children about their rights (Children’s Rights). It identifies some of the most common acts of violence against children as; beating with a stick (rod) or caning, slapping and pinching, overworking children at home or even at school, shouting or looking at children with angry eyes all the time, forcing children to have sex, refusing to pay for school fees, uniform or medicine, when they can afford it.
Now that implies that using a rod is a violation of children’s rights and then Uganda or Africa might have to reconsider its means of grooming and disciplining the children!
What is the forward for an African child?
 Should we preserve the culture and violate children’s rights?
 Spare the rod and wait for the aftermath?
 Or is there an alternative to the rod?

I will welcome your comments and the way forward.
Thanks.

Ssozi Javie
Citizen – Kampala Uganda.





July 24, 2008 | 9:57 AM Comments  6 comments

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YOFCAG YOUTH FOR CHANGE ACTION GROUP
July 26, 2008 | 6:02 AM
SPARING THE ROD WILL BE OUR UNDOING
It is with outmost respect of human rights and particullary the children,s rights that i say it is time to rethink and go back to the drawing board and try to harmonises the modernazation and civilazation of africa vs our traditional cultures which had ethics of safeguarding the displine among the siblings to their maturity and eventually to thier graves.why do i say this... i am young kenyan and for the past one month over three hundrend schools have been closed due to the stundents unrest and mass strikes which have left millions of shilings lost through burning and a young life lost(R.I.P). Why this total madness ,lack of displine because of legal rights which banned canning in schools through the childrens act or is it the absconding of parental guidance?.
to me this has potrayed both as the children acts has excess powers that curtails any elder to displine a kid or do it under your own peril and also the parents careeer development,busyness ,single prenthoods and also the the now single unit families where the extended families are almost in excitint .amongst other factors boarding schools have become dumping sites for kids to ease the burden to the parents thus fuelling more unwanted altitudes amongsr the kids.
while the traditional cultures had transition stages where the young met with mentors and thus having role models today we cannot say we have men and women who can stand to be counted .go down the memory lane of what happened in kenya , post elections skirmishes ignated by leaders whom the young ought to emulate,thier older brothers and sisters also had an orgy of all lunatics antics whom thier little brothers and sisters copied and yet we are complaining.the africa countries are all in almost the same calamities and in quamire of deeper tradition culture indeties vs the civilesed mordenized indentity .it is high time we should critically rethink our hasty hasty implementation of westernized grilled ideologies into our mode of governance in due disregard of our ethenic tradition governance so as to save the remaning unrotten generation vis a vis reclainming the parents indetities which will trickle back to eldership and eventually mainstreaming the powers of our little demigods in form of papas and mamas(children).
gideon
youth for change -coordinator
yofcag@yahoo.com
Munaita Wanja Munaita
July 26, 2008 | 4:10 PM
Children's Rights Vs. The Rod
Oh my! This is an extremely needed discussion and is also sensitive. Being African, raised in a Kenyan village back in the day means that the rod was the way forward. I had no way of knowing otherwise so this was readily acceptable. So to avoid the rod or punishment, I simply did the right things according to those older than myself. In my village primary school, arriving to school late meant caning, or even kneeling down for extended periods of time. What did I gain from this? Perfect punctuality! I arrived to school on time so that I did not get canned or whatever the punishment was depending on the teacher.
At home my grandparents simply used eucalyptus and gave a nice sweep on my legs, ouch, that hurt so much but then again, once and I learned the lesson.
So for me, getting 'developed or enlightened as the West' is simply losing our culture! I have travelled extensively, and the first thing I noticed when I arrived to a Scandinavian Country was how rude most of the kids were to their parents and elders. Oh my, they would have a reply ready even before their parents were finished speaking! Do not get me wrong, Yes they are enlightened or whatever you want to call it, but I still find they lack the essential skills of discipline if there is something like skills.
In North America for instance children even know to call the police if their parents try to discipline them! I think this society has gone overboard. Creating monsters and a lazy generation! Most children can demand for anything saying it is a 'right' when infact, they should be doing things for their own good and leave the activists to do their jobs.
Therefore, if I had it my way, no way would I spare the rod! The rod could be anything. whether it is taking the thing that a child loves so much for a period of time or a pinch on their cheeks, parents need to be consistent in using the 'rod' This is the only way we will have some sort of responsible children in the future generations.
So the 'West' wake up and use the 'Rod'
Wanja Munaita
Education Without Limits
Tulinomubeezi Emmanuel Tulinomubeezi
July 27, 2008 | 2:22 PM
children's vs the rod
It is by coincidence that this very afternoon I've been discussing child upbringing with an old lady of 62 years, and with no need of going through all we discussed, we both agreed that child's right advocacy is simply overstated by individuals and associations behind this initiative. If the child's rights are intended to make a child go his way, feeling untouchable and unaccountable then it is high time it is revised because even God, "our hevenly father" is very clear when it comes to distinguishing between child's rights and child disciplining.Somewhere in proverbs it stated that a heart of a child is full of foolishness and rod of correction shall drive it out; not words. This is not to say parents should beat their children in fulfilment of scriptures but were necessary.Believe me it is inevitable that children will stay clean because their hearts are full of foolishness and beating it out is the most effective way of preserving his tomorrow, otherwise, the world will teach him the hard way.
I also consider this one thing that a child is like a plasticine soft, pliable and mouldable. He however must be moulded skillfully and tenderly; knowing when to apply the cane and when not to.
Whoever excludes child beating as a way of proper upbringing is either ignorant or a destroyer-no doubt.
faywang Wambui
July 29, 2008 | 12:07 PM

there are other effective ways of instilling discipline in children, other than using violence(the rod).At a certain age you should find more humane ways to discipline the child
nightsangel angel
July 31, 2008 | 8:33 PM
children's rights.
i totally agree with you wambui. they should find new ways to discipline children. i think that Africa has violated many children's rights. look at European countries , most children are disciplined at schools. they don't slap or kick them before they can perform at their bests, keeping the culture is a positive thing but sometimes the culture can have negative or bad things. they should try to change and adapt to the new world . we are in the present now things need to be altered.
BrazonYascar Peter
November 11, 2008 | 4:25 AM
What Rod?

It's a pity you shared with me in the same agony of misery in your search of knowledge.

I take an objective point of view as I contribute to this matter.
It should be perceived that when we talk about children, we don't talk about African child in isolation.Does it mean that African child is the one born in Africa ,one born and living in Africa or any other child born elsewhere but now living in africa.What of those born in Africa but live elsewhere.

The problem is to stay as long as we still tie issues to stereotype.There is NO Africa! NO Asia! NO Europe! Just but divisions of land mass by water.

There is no privilege that a child is asking for from anybody.These are rights which are there naturally whether granted or denied.It should not be seen that there is a new breed of children's understanding of rights and privileges.Neither is there a road to civilisation for if you say so then it may mean that it is known what the life now aught to be! If so then it should be adopted expeditiously. Who knows whether the so claimed developed world are coming to where we are now while we shift elsewhere? Civilization is dynamic and not linear so we must not just go to where the west is!

As for the case of Ugandan children not addressing the elders by name nor sitting on chairs while being addressed by elders,we should find out whether there are enough chairs or not and also the meaning in the title with which to address the elder.
I regret the shame as a man to hear that a father punishes including but not limited to his wife in the family.When does one become a father? Is is by marrying and fathering a child or could be by being a male in a marriage between a woman and a man or probably by living up to the meaning of fatherhood as far as responsibility is concerned?

If one could have gone through a different system of education from you,the story could be different.The strictness of the headmistress would be less worthwhile. Did you ever asked what you lost by abandoning the left hand use in writing? Will you pliz also find out what you've gained by writing with right hand that those who use left hand have missed?

Police dogs are trained and understand only too well there role,Can they compare any bit to human beings---Children?The rod is overtaken by time."Use the rod Lose the Respect."

Omondi Oluoch PeterBrazon de Nashon
World Changers Youth Organization
"The Change We Need"
Kenya.
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