Primary school children’s experiences of school-based violence and perceptions of child-led child protection committees in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Globally, children experience multiple forms of violence, including school violence, which includes bullying and corporal punishment. However, schools also hold potential to tackle violence, including through child-led child protection committees (CPCs). This study explored children’s perspectives on school violence, safety and their attitudes towards CPCs in Zimbabwe. We conducted 2 FGDs with 6 boys and 6 girls who were CPC members and 4 participatory ‘round robin’ workshops with 27 boys and 20 girls. Children cited various forms of school violence, holding mixed views on the acceptability of corporal punishment. For children, bullying appears to be the overarching concern. CPCs give some students a sense of authority, but the role and scope of CPC members is not well understood among children. Our study finds that despite legislative changes, acceptability of corporal punishment is still present among children in Zimbabwean primary schools. Bullying remains a key concern of children. We contribute new insights on the potential of CPCs to address forms of school violence such as bullying, however suggest there is a need to clarify the role of CPCs in intervening in violence.