Schools Face Stricter Corporal Punishment Rules
Teachers who insult, humiliate or ridicule learners may now face disciplinary action under an expanded definition of corporal punishment.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Administration
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Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube presented Parliament with an update on implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, which broadens corporal punishment beyond physical violence to include psychological harm such as verbal abuse and insults. The Department of Basic Education has also finalised a roughly 110-page manual, Doing Discipline Differently, to guide teachers on positive discipline.
Why it matters
Corporal punishment remains a problem in South African schools, especially in some rural schools, and some teachers have already begun losing their jobs over it. The expanded definition signals a shift from physical violence alone to protecting learners from emotional harm.
The South African Council for Educators received 831 misconduct complaints in its 2025/26 annual report, up from 606 the previous year, and finalised 91 disciplinary hearings against a target of 120. Seventeen educators were struck off the professional register for serious misconduct, though the report does not break out how many complaints involved corporal punishment.
The players
Siviwe Gwarube
Siviwe Gwarube is the Basic Education Minister in South Africa, responsible for the national school system and the policies governing it.
James Ndlebe
James Ndlebe is a South African public official whose role in the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act is referenced in the source.
The details
The department expanded the definition of corporal punishment through the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, and the manual will be circulated to schools as part of implementing it. The manual gives teachers step-by-step guidance on positive discipline, and the expanded definition is already being implemented.
Timeline
The 2025/26 financial year recorded the 831 misconduct complaints reported by the South African Council for Educators.
On 12 November 2026, Gwarube presented implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act to Parliament.
Season Trajectory
The Basic Education Laws Amendment Act moves South African schools beyond physical punishment to recognise psychological harm as corporal punishment. The rising complaint count suggests enforcement is tightening as the expanded definition takes hold.
Parents and learners should expect schools to apply the broader definition, so verbal abuse and humiliation can now be reported as corporal punishment. Teachers are being guided toward positive discipline methods through the new manual, which will soon be circulated to schools.
The takeaway
Teachers who want to avoid disciplinary action should use the positive discipline approaches set out in the new manual rather than verbal humiliation. Learners and parents now have a clearer basis for reporting emotional harm as well as physical punishment.
Further reading
For more on how the education system is run, see the Administration section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sunday World.
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