Table 3. Prevalence of School Corporal Punishment in Selected Countries, Regardless of Legality.
| Country | Legal status | Year | Prevalence | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of students reporting they were subject to corporal punishment | % of students or teachers reporting others were subject to corporal punishment | |||
| AFRICAa | ||||
| Benin | Banned | 2009 | 88% of girls beaten in schools | |
| Botswana | Legal | 2007 | 92% of students | |
| Cameroon b | Banned | 2000 | 97% of students | |
| Central African Republic | Legal | 2013 | 51% of males and 45% of females | |
| Djibouti | Banned | 2006 | 28% hit with object, 14% had been pinched or had hair or ears pulled | |
| Egypt c | Legal | 1998 | 80% of boys, 62% of girls | |
| Equatorial Guinea | Legal | 2011 | 54% | |
| Ethiopia d | Banned | 2009 | 38% of 8 year olds in past week; 12% of 15 year olds in past week | 76% of 8 year olds observed in past week; 49% of 15 year olds observed in past week |
| Ghana | Legal | 2010 | 71% of students | |
| Kenya e | Banned | 2010 | 41% of females, 46% of males were punched, kicked, whipped, or beaten with an object in previous 12 months | |
| Malawi | Banned | 2007 | 48% of students | |
| Mali | Banned | 2009 | 83% of students report that it occurs | |
| Morocco f | Legal | 2005 | 87% of students | |
| Mozambique | Legal | 2009 | 40% hit with an object in past two weeks | |
| Nigeria | Legal | 2011 | 80% of respondents had seen students hit with a cane, 46% with a horsewhip, 30% with hand | |
| South Africa | Banned | 2013 | 50% of students | |
| Swaziland g | Legal | 2005 | 59% of students beat with object in previous 2 weeks; 20% of students hit with hand in previous 2 weeks |
|
| Togo | Banned | 2005 | 88% of girls and 87% of boys | |
| Uganda h | Banned | 2015 | 90% of students in primary school (88% reported caning) | |
| United Republic of Tanzania i | Legal | 2014 | 98% of boys, 91% of girls | 98% of boys, 99% of girls |
| Zambia j | Legal | 2005 | 32% of students in previous 2 weeks | |
| Zimbabwe | Legal | 2009 | 67% of students report teachers use corporal punishment | |
| EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIAk | ||||
| Albania | Banned | 2006 | 39% of students had hair pulled, 37% pinched, 52% hti with an object, 34% hit with an open hand | |
| Belgium | Banned | 2011 | 23% of students had ear pulled, 18% had hair pulled, 20% were hit with a hand on their hand or fingers, 14% forced to stand or kneel in painful position | |
| Czech Republic | Banned | 2011 | 30% of teachers had slapped a student | |
| Kazakhstan | Banned | 2013 | 13% in past year | |
| Serbia | Banned | 2006 | 43% in past three months | |
| TFYR Macedonia | Banned | 2009 | 57% knew a child who had been beaten by a teacher | |
| MIDDLE EAST AND SOUTH ASIAl | ||||
| Afghanistan | Banned | 2008 | Observed in 100% of boys' schools and 20% of girls' schools | |
| Bangladesh | Banned | 2015 | 53% of students | |
| India d | Legal | 2009 | 78% of 8 year olds in past week; 34% of 15 year olds in past week | 93% of 8 year olds observed in past week; 68% of 15 year olds observed in past week |
| Iraq | Legal | 2008 | 48% of teachers used | |
| Jordan | Banned | 2007 | 57% of students had been subject to severe violence (hitting with object, biting burning); 50% had been subject to mild violence (slapping, pulling hair, pinching, pushing, twisting arms or legs) | |
| Lebanon f | Legal | 2005 | 46% of students in previous month | |
| Pakistan | Legal | 2014 | 44% of students in previous 6 months | |
| State of Palestine | Legal | 2010 | 80% of students | |
| Yemen f | Banned | 2010 | 90% of students | |
| EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFICm | ||||
| Cambodia | Banned | 2013 | 15% of boys and 9% of girls in previous 6 months | |
| China | Banned | 2004 | 58% of students (10% beat with an object) | |
| Fiji | Banned | 2008 | 31% in past month | |
| Hong Kong n | Banned | 2006 | 54% of discipline involves physical punishment | |
| Indonesia | Legal | 2014 | 27% of boys and 9% of girls in previous 6 months | |
| Myanmar | Legal | 2012 | 82% of students beaten | |
| Philippines | Banned | 2009 | 18% of students pinched, 16% spanked with hand or object | |
| Republic of Korea n | Legal | 2011 | 98% of students | 94% of discipline involves physical punishment |
| Samoa | Legal | 2013 | 41% in past year | |
| Taiwan | Banned | 2012 | 95% of students have seen school corporal punishment | |
| Vietnam d,n | Banned | 2009 | 20% of 8 year olds in past week; 1% of 15 year olds in past week | 59% of 8 year olds in past week; 13% of 15 year olds in past week; 69% of discipline involves physical punishment |
| NORTH, CENTRAL, AND SOUTH AMERICAo | ||||
| Barbados | Legal | 2009 | 56% of students flogged at school | |
| Dominica | Legal | 2009 | 86% of students | |
| Grenada p | Legal | 2014 | 85% of students | 86% of teachers report using |
| Jamaica q | Legal | 2009 | 96% of boys and 89% of girls | |
| Peru d | Banned | 2009 | 30% of 8 year olds in past week; 7% of 15 year olds in past week | 51% of 8 year olds observed in past week 19% of 15 year olds observed in past week |
| St. Kitts & Nevis p | Legal | 2014 | 92% of students | 88% of teachers report using |
| St. Lucia | Legal | 2011 | 86% of students report corporal punishment at their school | |
| St. Vincent & the Grenadines p | Legal | 2014 | 82% of students | 83% of teachers report using |
| Trinidad & Tobago p | Banned | 2014 | 92% of students | 71% of teachers report using |
| United States of America r | Legal | 2012 | 1% of all public school students nationally (7% in Mississippi, 4% in Alabama, 4% in Arkansas, 2% in Oklahoma; all other states 1% or less) | |
Note: Dates refer to year of survey if available or to year of report if not. Source for prevalence data is report cited in section heading, unless otherwise indicated.
f
Save the Children Sweden (2011).