Perception of Teachers towards the Use of Punishment in Sancta Maria Primary School Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria

A survey design was employed to find out the perception of teachers towards the use of punishment in Sancta Maria primary school Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. Fifty-eight teachers were studied. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Mean and z-test were used for data analysis. It was found that the teachers perceived scolding and verbal assault to the pupil, making a pupil stay back after school dismissal, pupil's fetching of water, pupil washing of school's toilet, sending the pupil out of the class, and seizing or denying the pupil of his or her belongings as unacceptable forms of punishment. Giving the pupil knock on the head, slapping or beating the pupil with hands, kicking and pushing the pupil with legs, and pulling the pupil's ear or hair are unacceptable to the teachers. The teachers perceived the pupil's cutting of grasses, the pupil kneeling down or standing for a long time, the pupil scrubbing the floor of the class, flogging the pupil with stick or cane and the pupil sweeping the whole class as acceptable punishment measures. Teachers' gender, age and years of teaching experience make no significant difference in their perception towards the use of punishment. Keywords: Perception, punishment, teachers, primary school, gender, age, years of teaching experience