Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Zululand, 1992. / The aims of this investigation were: to provide an analysis of the problems surrounding corporal punishment in the Department of Education and Culture (DEC) in Kwa-Zulu schools; to give a description of the life-world in which the Black adolescent finds himself as influenced by enculturation and the adoption of new parental styles regarding authority; and in the light of the findings obtained from the literature study determine certain guide1ines according to which accountable administration of corporal punishment can be instituted. As an introduction a psychopedagogical perspective is given. Education is a universal phenomenon which is limited to human beings. Education involves an action where a responsible adult leads, helps, supports and accompanies an educand to self-actualization and ultimate adulthood. An educational situation is a situation where authority prevails. If authority does not prevail there cannot be an educational situation and education cannot take place. The educational acts of the adult as a helping and supporting guidance of the child imply that the educator has authority. The educational relationship is essentially a relation of authority. For successful teaching it is essential that good discipline should exist in the entire school. Firm but sympathetic and meaningful discipline is a sine qua nan for effective teaching. It means that education is essentially an (vii) inter—human relationship. This is actually a constel1 ation of re1ationshi ps which is called the re 1 a tionshi p s true ture of the peciagog ic situation and reveals the perspectives of knowing, trust and authority. The category of authority rests on the fallowing pedagogic postulates: The child is someone who desires to be somebody himself; The child experiences, in his desire to become somebody, a distinct need for an adult to support him; and The adult responds to this appeal. From these postulates it becomes clear that the child needs education in his development to adulthood. I f the relationship of knowing, trust and authority is sound, then discipline is justified in education. When the educator disciplines the child he should take into consideration the values of the community and the dignity of the child. If the educator observes that the child acts contrary to 1 ife—compulsory norms, it is the duty of the education to intervene with the view to changing the child's life far the better (pedagogic disapproval). This may involve various forms of punishment, inter alia — Reproof; Isolation; Staying in; Imposition at home; Deprivation of privileges; Temporary or permanent suspension; and Corporal punishment (viix) From the above it is clear that corporal punishment should be used as a last resort. It shouId be borne in mind that physical punishment ought to be administered according to prescribed regulations in the Department of Education and Culture in Kwa-Zulu schools. A breach of these rules may result in total rejection of czorpors.1 punishment as an educative punishment. In the light of the findings of this research the following are recommended: Effective internal management; Parental involvement and assistance; and That further in—depth research regarding parental involvement and assistance to our Black children and their relationship with parents, be conducted.