Investigating attitudes of student teachers towards using corporal punishment in Eastern Cape schools

The study investigated attitudes of student teachers towards using corporal punishment in Eastern Cape schools where the practice continues even though it became illegal in 1996. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used with purposive sampling. The study was based on the 2021 final year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students who were about to start teaching. A mixed method approach was used, adopting three data collection methods: an online questionnaire, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory complemented by the theory of planned behaviour provided the theoretical framework for this study. These theories allowed the researcher to look at how various social contexts impact and influence an individual’s attitudes and practices. Findings showed that student teachers experience a dilemma towards using corporal punishment as a discipline strategy due to various factors such as school context, student teacher personality traits, power relations between the students and teachers who mentored them and the quality of training at institutional level. Furthermore, findings showed that understanding attitudes of student teachers towards using corporal punishment as a discipline strategy despite the ban is a complex issue. 75,5 % of the student teachers are sure of the value of using corporal punishment despite its illegality and have continued using it during teaching practice. Some student teachers are in a dilemma in seeing corporal punishment as necessary and a last resort discipline strategy. 24,6% of the student teachers indicated having a negative attitude towards using corporal punishment. Based on the evidence shown the study concludes that some student teachers are going to use corporal punishment, some may use it, therefore it is likely for corporal punishment to be used by student teachers despite the ban.