Discipline, Protection of Learners, and the Authority of Teachers
By Sunday Chilufya Chanda
The reported arrest of five teachers at Senanga Day Secondary School in Senanga over the alleged assault of a 15-year-old learner has raised serious national questions about discipline, teacher authority, and the protection of children in our schools.
First and foremost, every child deserves to be safe in school. The law is clear that violence against minors is unacceptable, and allegations of assault go against the provisions of Section 248A of the Penal Code of the Laws of Zambia.
However, this unfortunate development also opens a broader conversation that society must confront honestly.
Teachers today are operating in an environment where discipline in schools is increasingly difficult to maintain. Reports of learners verbally and physically abusing teachers, refusing instructions, or openly challenging authority are becoming more common. When authority collapses in the classroom, the learning environment itself is threatened.
This therefore raises several important questions:
1. Will the criminalisation of disciplinary situations discourage teachers from maintaining order in schools?
If every disciplinary confrontation risks becoming a police matter, some teachers may feel exposed and unsupported, which could weaken classroom authority.
2. What protections exist for teachers who are verbally abused or insulted by learners?
Respect must be mutual. While children must be protected from violence, teachers must also be protected from humiliation, harassment, or verbal abuse that undermines their authority.
3. Can teachers seek legal recourse if they are verbally assaulted?
In principle, the law does recognise offences such as insult or defamation, and in certain circumstances a person may seek legal remedy if they are seriously abused or defamed. However, when the person involved is a minor, the matter is usually handled through school disciplinary systems, parental engagement, or educational authorities, rather than through direct litigation against the child.
What this situation ultimately reveals is the urgent need for a clear national framework on discipline in schools. Teachers need training and support on modern disciplinary methods, while learners must equally be taught respect, responsibility, and consequences for misconduct.
Schools must remain places of learning, safety, and mutual respect where children are protected, and teachers are empowered to maintain order without fear.
This moment should therefore not only be about blame, but about rebuilding a balanced culture of discipline and respect in our education system.
My two cents opinion is that this matter can and should be handled differently.