Restorative discipline practices: an action research project in three Harare primary schools

Abstract

Traditionally, Zimbabwe’s teachers have used punitive measures to maintain discipline within schools. However, the global movement against human rights violations associated with corporal punishment caused the country’s Ministry of Education to advocate non-punitive approaches but provided little by way of detail or support. In three primary schools in Harare, teachers were trained in two restorative justice alternatives - peacemaking circles and peer mediation – which they used with 9 to 10-year-old learners between March and October 2016. On average, the learners had bi-weekly opportunities through the circles to tell their peers and teachers what they were experiencing and feeling, and peer mediators had an opportunity to mediate in conflicts affecting their age mates. Outcomes were assessed using interviews with teachers before and after the intervention, and thematic content analysis was employed to analyse the data. In terms of outcomes, peacemaking circles enabled teachers to get to know their students and to respond pre-emptively to potential problems, while peer mediation led to a fall in the number and intensity of playground conflicts. The study shows that such restorative practices can be a promising way of addressing school discipline issues.