Mugwana Maluleke, the general secretary of the South African Teachers Union (Sadtu)

First things first | Discipline in the classroom is globally considered a norm, ensuring the functionality of education in both public and private schools. The teacher is central to maintaining a classroom environment that enables learning and teaching. The use of corporal punishment was abolished in South African schools in 1996 as it was regarded as violation of children’s rights. Educators generally felt disempowered in their ability to maintain discipline in schools in the absence of corporal punishment. After the banning of corporal punishment in schools under the South African Schools Act (84 of 1996), lack of discipline and safety in schools became one of the major challenges. Maintaining discipline in the classroom remains a challenge for teachers. As a teacher how are you coping with maintaining discipline in the classroom, which methods are you using, are you winning? What your day to day challenges where discipline is concerned? People often see ‘discipline’ as the same thing as ‘punishment’. They are not. Discipline actually refers to the practice of teaching or training a person to obey rules or a code of behaviour in the short- and long-term.1 While punishment is meant to control children’s behaviour, discipline is meant to develop their behaviour.What does the law say?South Africa has a number of laws that protect learners from corporal punishment and abuse. Section 12(1) of the Constitution states that everyone has the right to freedom and security, including the rights: to be free from all forms of violence, not to be tortured, treated or punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way. Section 28(1)(d) protects every child from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation. Section 10 states that everyone has inherent human dignity and the right to its protection.Section 10(1) the South African Schools Act provides that no person may administer corporal punishment at a school against a learner. A person who contravenes this provision is