“No One Should Touch Anyone’s Child” – Yvonne Nelson Slams Corporal Punishment

Ghanaian actress and educational entrepreneur Yvonne Nelson is calling for an end to corporal punishment in schools, urging teachers to adopt more compassionate and constructive ways of disciplining students.

In a heartfelt interview on The Career Trail with Irene Adubea Aning, Nelson spoke candidly about her firm opposition to the practice of caning or physically punishing children in educational settings. She emphasized that discipline rooted in fear only harms children and hinders their ability to thrive in school.

“No one has the right to touch anyone’s kid,” she said. “We don’t do that in my school. If a child is misbehaving, we have better ways of handling it—timeouts, walks, playtime, or simply calling the parents.

Sometimes, a talk with the parents makes a big difference.”

Drawing on her experience as a school owner, Nelson said she believes in understanding and communication over physical force.

She explained that many children act out because they are dealing with personal challenges, and what they often need is empathy, not punishment.

She acknowledged the often-quoted saying, “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” but was quick to clarify that it refers to parents, not teachers. “Discipline at home is one thing. But a teacher has no right to hit a child, even if the parents say it’s okay,” she said.

Yvonne’s concerns are rooted in her own experience as a student. She recalled how fear of caning affected her school attendance and performance, especially during her secondary school years.

“There were days I was too scared to go to class,” she shared. “One teacher would beat everyone. I skipped classes so many times.

When it came time to write our SSCE, I didn’t even go in for the Costing and Accounting paper. I couldn’t balance the sheet because I missed too many classes out of fear.”

Her story struck a chord with many listeners, as she painted a clear picture of how fear-based discipline creates anxiety and discourages learning.

Now, as someone who runs her own school, Yvonne Nelson is advocating for a culture of positive discipline in Ghanaian schools — one where children are corrected with care and respect.

“Children are not robots,” she said. “They feel things. Let’s raise them in love, not fear.”