AfriPulse
Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale has proposed the reintroduction of caning and corporal punishment in schools amid concerns over the rising cases of indiscipline, student unrest, and school fires across the country.
Speaking during a public gathering on Saturday, June 20, Khalwale said he will table a bill in parliament seeking to legalise the practice.
According to the senator, the bill will seek to change the education laws and introduce what he termed as discipline in schools, which, according to him, has led to the rise in unrest in schools.
“I have already drafted a Bill seeking to amend education laws and reinstate disciplinary measures that were scrapped by previous Parliaments, so that students who misbehave can be caned,” Khalwale stated.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale during a Senate Plenary session on Tuesday, December 2, 2025.
Photo
Senate of Kenya
“And as a parent, if you do not want a teacher to cane your child, then come and take them home so that other learners can continue with their studies,” he added.
Khalwale argues that current disciplinary measures have failed to curb misconduct among learners.
The senator insists that the growing cases of school unrest, property destruction, and student indiscipline are evidence that existing measures are not working.
He further contends that teachers have been stripped of effective disciplinary tools following the ban on corporal punishment and the enactment of laws aimed at protecting children’s rights.
The proposal comes at a time when over 200 schools have closed indefinitely following student unrest that has, on some occasions, led to school fires and destruction of school infrastructures.
Following the wave that spiked in the second term, the Ministry of Education has received several proposals to change the laws governing basic education, including reviewing the second-term structure, introducing two mid-term breaks, and reintroducing corporal punishment.
The punishment is prohibited under the Children’s Act 2022 and the Basic Education Act 2013, which completely bars teachers from disciplining learners through caning.
Teachers found guilty of violating these laws can face serious disciplinary action from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), including heavy fines, dismissal, and imprisonment.
Education CS Julius Ogamba.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke | Read the Full Story…
