INDISCIPLINE GRIPS SCHOOLS

As Form 3 learners gear up for their final examinations next month, concerns are mounting over growing indiscipline in schools, with reports of violent clashes, gang-related fights, sexual acts and other misconduct involving learners.Information reaching The Midweek Sun suggests that fights are breaking out almost daily at some schools, with some learners reportedly landing in hospitals after sustaining injuries during violent clashes. Authorities say some learners appear increasingly defiant, with suspension letters failing to deter some of them from returning to school and confronting those they believe have wronged them.It is further alleged that some of the fights take place after school, with learners reportedly moving around in small groups before clashes erupt. At Gabane Junior Secondary School, learners were allegedly caught engaging in sexual activity in the school toilets.The learners are said to have admitted that they had been dating for some time, despite being underage. Information reaching this publication suggests that the matter was not reported to the police, while one parent allegedly denied that their child was involved.Contacted for comment, the school's head declined to provide details on the allegations, saying she was constrained in the information she could share. She said, however, that the school was aware of incidents involving learners outside the school premises and had been engaging them on the issue.She added that further questions on the matter would have to be directed to the Kweneng Acting Education Director, Margaret Koko, who said she was not aware of the allegations.Area Councillor, Batswana Nthibo said he had held several meetings with learners, during which he cautioned them against dating and sexual activity.He blamed some parents for being too relaxed when it comes to disciplining their children, saying this was leaving some young people without adequate guidance. Nthibo further argued that the current restrictions on corporal punishment in schools had left some teachers feeling powerless when dealing with serious indiscipline.He suggested that the debate around bringing back the stick should be revisited, arguing that some parents were afraid to discipline their children for fear of being accused of abuse.The Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education announced in 2025 that corporal punishment had been abolished in schools and in February this year, the ministry said its use remained suspended pending a review of the relevant laws.However, the government has acknowledged concerns that learner misconduct has become a challenge, as in August 2025, the ministry reported 1 958 indiscipline cases among public primary and secondary school learners, compared with 2 088 cases recorded in 2024. The cases included bullying, harassment and abuse of other children.Nonetheless, the government has rejected the suggestion that corporal punishment is the only way of maintaining discipline, calling for alternative disciplinary measures and greater involvement by parents.Meanwhile, the situation at Gabane is not isolated, as recently, Gaborone Senior School kicked out seven learners following a violent gang-related attack last term.The violence left one learner with a fractured jaw after being struck with a brick, while another sustained a stab wound to the stomach. Allegations at the time suggested that the violence stemmed from a dispute over a school blazer.Botswana Sectors of Trade Unions (BOSETU) Secretary General, Oreeditse Nyatso said the union's position was that teachers should not beat learners at school. He said cases of extreme indiscipline should instead be referred to other authorities, including social workers and the police.“As things stand, the Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education should come up with proper ways of disciplining children because no member of ours will lose their job for trying to do what is not in their job description,” Nyatso said.Kgosi Seeletso Pule of Gabane says he is deeply concerned about the state of indiscipline among young people, warning that the future looks bleak if their behaviour continues unchecked.Pule said those being groomed to become the country's future leaders are increasingly showing signs of moral decay, while there appears to be little being done to reverse the trend. He said the situation was worse than many people realised, noting that indiscipline was not confined to secondary schools but was also affecting primary school learners.According to Pule, some distressed parents have approached him in tears, pleading with him to have their children whipped in an attempt to discipline them. However, he said that even when such intervention is made, it often has little lasting effect, as some children return to the same behaviour only days later.

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INDISCIPLINE GRIPS SCHOOLS