Different opinions have been raised during the national conversation on corporal punishment, with the Fijian Teachers Association (FTA) pushing for its reintroduction as a disciplinary measure.
FTA General Secretary Paula Manumanunitoga says teachers are facing issues in the classroom, including being sworn at, having objects thrown at them, and female teachers being abused.
He says the lives of teachers are being threatened as these issues were only seen in secondary schools before but now, it is also happening in primary school.
Manumanunitoga adds that parents are not playing their roles in disciplining their children, leading to a need for alternative measures, such as corporal punishment, to be considered.
Author's summary: FTA advocates for corporal punishment.