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Boarding Schools and Discipline: Building Character or Breeding Trauma?

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For decades, Nigerian parents have entrusted boarding schools with more than just academic education, they expect these institutions to build character, enforce discipline, and mould young people into future leaders. In Nigeria, the phrase “boarding school” often evokes a particular image, one of neat uniforms, early morning bells, silent dining halls, and a well-drilled student body that moves in synchrony under the watchful eyes of prefects and matrons. For generations, these institutions have occupied a revered space in our educational consciousness. Parents see them as the ideal environment for raising children who are not only academically excellent but also morally upright and independent. In fact, in many homes, the choice to send a child to a boarding school is framed less as an educational decision and more as a moral investment.

At the heart of this model lies discipline which is often strict, visible, and enforced. It is this commitment to order that many credit for the maturity, resilience, and composure of boarding school alumni. However, a deeper examination raises an uncomfortable question: does this celebrated discipline truly build character, or has it, in many instances, become a tool that breeds trauma?

From the outside, this sounds like a worthy investment. But dig beneath the surface, and a different story begins to unfold. From rigid routines to corporal punishment, many schools still operate on models that prioritise obedience over understanding. While some students emerge with resilience and structure, others leave with deep emotional scars.

There is no doubt that discipline is a necessary part of learning. In the controlled environment of a boarding school, students are expected to wake up early, attend classes punctually, complete chores, and respect authority. This structure can help students develop time management, self-regulation, and a strong work ethic. Many Nigerian professionals such as lawyers, doctors, civil servants among others credit their success to the discipline instilled in boarding schools. Prefectship systems create a sense of leadership and responsibility early on. Even coping with homesickness, many argue, builds emotional resilience and independence. These are important lessons and they do not happen by accident. Done right, discipline offers students more than order; it prepares them for adulthood.

Unfortunately, for many students, the experience is far from ideal. In numerous Nigerian boarding schools, the approach to discipline is outdated, punitive, and sometimes abusive. Corporal punishment, public humiliation, and excessive chores are still used as standard corrective tools. A 2022 investigation by the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria revealed that over one-third of boarding students surveyed had experienced physical abuse. This includes flogging, kneeling for hours, deprivation of meals, and in extreme cases, being locked in toilets or forced to perform demeaning tasks. Beyond physical punishment, emotional abuse is rampant. Some teachers and even fellow students (mostly senior students) and housemasters often resort to verbal insults, mockery, and shaming tactics, all of which leave marks that no school uniform can cover. The impact? Students who carry the trauma long after graduation. Depression. Anxiety. Low self-esteem. A fear of authority. Many never talk about it, because the system has taught them to see it as “normal.”

One of the biggest dangers is how deeply normalised this culture of harsh discipline has become. “We all went through it” is a common phrase among boarding school alumni, but this statement often reflects survival, not endorsement. Teachers, many of whom are products of the same system replicate the only model of discipline they know. Parents, believing in the reputation of strictness, rarely question it. Meanwhile, students have no safe avenue to report wrongdoing. Attempts to speak out are often dismissed as indiscipline or weakness. Senior students, empowered by hierarchy, sometimes become aggressors themselves, creating cycles of bullying under the guise of orientation or “toughening up” the juniors. The psychological toll is enormous but frequently overlooked.

In most Nigerian boarding schools, the conversation around student mental health is practically non-existent. Trained counsellors are rare. Emotional struggles are often spiritualised or ignored altogether. When a student is withdrawn, homesick, or angry, the common response is punishment, not inquiry. A 2023 study from the University of Ibadan’s Department of Psychology found that students who attended boarding schools with harsh disciplinary environments were more likely to suffer long-term mental health effects than those who attended day schools. Mental health isn’t a luxury, it’s a critical part of education. Until our schools recognise this, they will continue to misinterpret distress as defiance and punish when they should be supporting. Reforming discipline in Nigerian boarding schools does not mean discarding it altogether. It means refining it. We need a system that teaches responsibility without causing fear, and enforces rules without damaging dignity.

Firstly, schools should ban all forms of corporal punishment. This is not only archaic but also violates students’ rights. The Federal Ministry of Education must enforce zero-tolerance policies across all secondary institutions. In addition, staff should be trained in non-violent discipline. Teachers and hostel staff need modern tools, from behaviour management to conflict resolution, grounded in child psychology. Also, Mental health professionals should be part of the staff, not guests invited during crises.

Schools should also create confidential reporting systems. Every student should know where to turn if they feel unsafe, without fear of backlash. Review of prefect systems should also be made. Student leaders must be monitored to prevent the abuse of power, especially in hostels.

In conclusion, there is a way to instil discipline that uplifts rather than breaks. It involves empathy, structure, fairness, and consistency. Nigerian boarding schools have a proud legacy but legacy must never be an excuse for harm. As the country pushes for quality education, safety and wellbeing must be non-negotiable. We can no longer confuse cruelty for character-building or mistake fear for respect. Discipline should develop confidence, not silence it.

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