Sao Tome’s Ministry of Education wants to end teachers’ use of violence as a remedial teaching method and warns that the practice, which is prohibited in a number of school rules, could lead to teachers being fired.
The Inspector General of Education at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Armando Cotrim, told Lusa on the International Day of Non-Violence and Peace that “this practice still persists” in Sao Tome’s education system. “but perhaps not with the same visibility and presence” as before.
“In cases that come to us, we try to work with schools to understand the cause, and from there we act to encourage, mobilize and raise awareness that this practice is not better, but there are also cases that do not attract attention. our attention for various reasons,” namely those in charge of education who do not inform authorities for fear that their children will not be able to cope with their teachers, he said.
Armando Cotrim did not disclose the percentage of cases of use of violence as a corrective method in the education system of Sao Tome, but assured that since last year, the Ministry of Education, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other organizations, has been working on developing some rules, namely ” code of conduct,” which has already been finalized, “to try to put an end to this situation.”
In addition, he added that “there is a disciplinary policy adopted in 2006” and that it is being updated with the participation of parents, guardians, the student association and other members of the educational community.
“We discussed this document with changes, review and adaptation, and at the moment it is already in the Cabinet of Ministers. [da ministra], we are working on converting it into an official document and therefore distributing it. We believe that with this tool we will be able to reduce or end this process,” said Armando Cotrim.
The Inspector General of Education emphasized that the Teaching Careers Act itself “prohibits the use of violence as a means of persuading students to study” and that “the sanctions inherent in this practice are very clear,” which range from the suspension to the dismissal of teachers, but the practice is “all still remains.”
“Even in the first republic there were teachers who were removed from the system because of this practice. Therefore, we see that this has been going on for a long time and the measures are not easy, so we do not agree with this method of training,” he emphasized.
Armando Cotrim emphasized that in the initial stage of teaching, the teacher is guided and “learns various pedagogical techniques to guide the child, to make the student learn what he advises, so he does not have to resort to violence to force the child to learn.”
“In fact, this is not taught in universities, this is not taught in pedagogical practice. The use of violence has never been taught,” emphasized the inspector general of education of Sao Tome.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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