Children Are Not the Problem: Rethinking Discipline and Dignity in Our Schools-What We Learned

Future Leaders Initiative SL
11 hours ago
4 min read

On 17th January, Future Leaders Initiative SL brought together school children, teachers, parents, community youth leaders, and education stakeholders for its Second No Hit Zone Workshop. The goal was simple but urgent: to confront violence against children in schools and promote dignity, safety, and nonviolent discipline.

What emerged from the discussions was clear and honest. Children are not the problem. The problem lies in how adults respond to children, how systems are designed, and how harmful practices have been normalized over time.

Event at a Glance

Date: 17th January
Venue: Headquarters Area
Schools Invited: 10
Target Participants: 150
Participants: School children, teachers, community youth leaders, and education stakeholders

Why This Workshop Mattered

Violence against children is often justified as discipline. Yet evidence and lived experiences show that corporal punishment causes harm, fear, resentment, and long-term damage. This workshop created a safe space for participants to speak openly, reflect deeply, and begin shifting from harmful norms toward protective and dignified practices.

Morning Session: Children’s Voices and Dignity

Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Facilitator: Saffiatu Barrie, Head of the Children2Children (C2C) Program

The morning session focused on children’s rights, responsibilities, and dignity. Pupils actively participated, shared experiences, and asked thoughtful questions about respect and fairness.

Key messages emphasized that:

Children must respect each other’s rights
Rights come with responsibilities
Dignity must be upheld at all times by both children and adults

As the facilitator reminded participants:

“Protecting children’s dignity is everyone’s responsibility, not only children.”— Saffiatu Barrie, Head of C2C Program

A total of 75 school children received booklets titled “The Right to Be Me – A Little Book About BIG RIGHTS”, developed by Future Leaders Initiative SL. The children also joined a virtual interaction with Lucien, which strengthened their understanding of nonviolence and motivated them to speak up for dignity and respect.

Afternoon Session: Teachers and Stakeholders Speak Honestly

Time: 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM

The afternoon session brought together teachers, school leaders, and education stakeholders to discuss policy, discipline, safeguarding, and accountability.

Understanding Discipline vs Punishment

Presenter: Mr. Paul, SQAO Supervisor

Mr. Paul presented on five government education policies, with strong emphasis on the Comprehensive School Safety Policy, which states that every school must be a safe environment for children.

He clearly distinguished between punishment and discipline:

Punishment: causes physical, emotional, and social harm
Discipline: guides children to learn and grow without fear

As he stated:

“Punishment causes harm. Discipline helps a child learn without fear.”— Mr. Paul, SQAO Supervisor

He shared nonviolent alternatives to corporal punishment, including guided reflection, additional learning time, simple responsibilities, close observation of behavior, and creating positive learning environments.

Teachers openly admitted that children are often beaten for lateness. This honesty led to deep reflection across the room.

Drug Use and Its Impact on Behavior

Teachers raised serious concerns about drug abuse among school children, noting that some substances are sold near school environments. Mr. Paul emphasized that drug use contributes to aggressive behavior and that violence against children only worsens the situation.

“Corporal punishment does not solve the problem. It contributes to social violence and long-term harm.”— Mr. Paul

To stress the urgency of safeguarding, he shared a painful experience from his school days:

A pupil was severely flogged by a teacher, and a week later, the boy died.

This moment reinforced why child safeguarding policies are not optional, but lifesaving.

Honest Reflections from Participants

During open discussion, participants raised critical concerns.

One participant, Mr. Bangura, stressed:

“If we do not monitor schools and put systems in place to check how they operate, you will not succeed.”

Another participant questioned why corporal punishment is publicly condemned in formal schools, yet tolerated in some Quranic and Arabic learning centers.

A female Muslim participant responded clearly and firmly:

“The Quran was not brought with a cane. Violence is not Islamic. This is a harmful cultural practice, not a religious teaching.”

Her contribution helped establish an important truth: violence against children is cultural, not religious, and must never be justified in the name of faith.

Teachers’ Real Challenges

Mrs. Vandi, a primary school head teacher, shared challenges related to parental neglect, including poor attendance at meetings and children returning late from breaks.

Another female teacher raised concerns about schools prioritizing population over quality. She was encouraged to maintain integrity and strong standards, noting that parents who value discipline will choose well-managed schools.

Closing Reflections from Education Leadership

Mr. Bangura – Port Loko District Council, Lungi reminded participants that schools must align with government policies.

Drawing from his experience as a former school supervisor, he noted:

Teachers sometimes undermine policies themselves
Some teachers assist pupils during exams, which is wrong
While corporal punishment was encouraged in the past, the government is now clearly against it

His message was direct:

“What is bad is bad.

The No Hit Zone Message

In the final presentation, Ibrahim S. Bangura, Founder and CEO of Future Leaders Initiative SL, explained the four core principles of the No Hit Zone:

No child should hit another child
No child should hit any adult
No adult should hit a child
No adult should hit another adult

He presented the Theory of Change and Children’s Rights and Dignity Tree, emphasizing that when children, parents, teachers, schools, and communities embrace dignity and nonviolence, violence reduces and learning improves.

He challenged participants directly:

“Who should show better behavior, a trained adult or a child who came to learn?”

When the answer was “teachers,” the room fell silent.

What Needs to Change Now

Three priorities clearly emerged:

Child protection policies for Quranic and faith-based learning centers
Establishment of a Child Protection Task Force to monitor schools
Mandatory safeguarding policies for all schools

As the CEO concluded:

“Children are small villages. If protected and invested in, they grow into strong towns and cities.”

Moving Forward

This workshop reaffirmed one powerful truth:

Children are not the problem. The problem is how adults design systems and respond to children’s behavior.

Future Leaders Initiative SL remains committed to expanding No Hit Zones, advocating for strong safeguarding policies, and working with communities, government, and partners to end violence against children.