A video circulating widely on social media has captured the moment the Imo State Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education, Professor Bernard Ikegwuoha, confronted a Catholic priest over the punishment of students who allegedly arrived late to school.
In the viral clip, several students were seen kneeling on the ground within the school premises when the commissioner arrived during what appeared to be an inspection visit. The commissioner immediately questioned the disciplinary action and challenged the school authorities over the treatment of the students.
“Why did you tell these students to kneel down? I abolished corporal punishment in schools,” the commissioner was heard saying during the confrontation.
The priest, identified in the video as a Reverend Father attached to the school, appeared to explain that the students were punished for lateness. However, the commissioner insisted that such disciplinary measures were no longer acceptable under the state’s education policy.
The incident has sparked widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians debating the role of discipline in schools and the government’s stance on corporal punishment.
Earlier this year, the Imo State Ministry of Education announced a ban on corporal punishment in public schools across the state. The policy reportedly prohibits physical punishment such as flogging, slapping, and forcing students to kneel as a means of discipline.
According to the state government, the decision was introduced to encourage modern and non-violent methods of correcting students while protecting their dignity and mental well-being.
