“Education is not about filling a pail, but lighting a fire.” Yet too often, that fire is dimmed by fear instead of being fueled by understanding. In my school, students are beaten for being late a punishment that feels more like a step backward than a lesson forward.

We are told that school prepares us for the workplace, but in what workplace are people beaten for lateness? A job may write you up, deduct your pay, or call you in for a conversation but it will not strike you. So why should an institution built on growth and learning do so? We are no longer living in times of slavery or oppression. We fought for independence not only as a country, but as a people to free ourselves from the mentality that violence equals discipline.

Beating may create fear, but fear does not teach responsibility. It silences voices. It builds resentment. And it tells young minds that pain is the price of correction. But we can do better. Instead of blows, we can use reflection giving late students a chance to understand the value of time through guided conversations or helping with school duties that build character instead of shame.

We cannot preach growth while planting fear. We cannot claim to be building leaders while treating them like subjects. Let’s remember: discipline should shape, not scar. If schools are to truly prepare us for life, then let the lessons come from respect, not from raised hands.

“Violence may control a body, but respect reaches the soul.” It’s time our schools start reaching souls.