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Magufuli praises official who caned students

Tanzanian President John Magufuli has praised a senior government official for caning a group of secondary school students who were accused of setting fire to their dormitories.

A widely-shared video shows regional commissioner Albert Chalamila administering beatings to a group of students who were lying face down.

Earlier, a government minister had criticised Mr Chalamila as only headteachers are allowed to carry out corporal punishment.

But President Magufuli, who has become known for his no-nonsense attitude, has also called for the law on corporal punishment to be changed so that it can be meted out by all teachers.

The president also wants to relax the rules on when caning a student might be appropriate.

Currently, even headteachers are discouraged from resorting to corporal punishment, they have to have a strong reason to do so, and are limited to four strokes.

Mr Magufuli dismissed those who say that physically punishing students is an abuse of their human rights.

‘’I have spoken to Mbeya regional commissioner [Mr Chalamila], and I told him: ‘You did a great job caning them’.

“He should have caned them even more. Those who advocate for human rights should pay for the dormitories – these buildings were built by poor parents’ contributions,’’ the president said.

 

Source: bbc.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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