By Ishmael Danirayi Tabe
In Zimbabwe, a child who repeatedly disrupts lessons is quickly called “stubborn”. A learner who fights with classmates is labelled “violent”. A teenager who challenges authority is described as “disrespectful”, while an adult who struggles to control anger may simply be dismissed as a “bad person”.
But what if, behind some of these behaviours, a person is experiencing a behavioural disorder and desperately in need of understanding, assessment and support?
This is a question Zimbabwean society must confront.
Behaviour disorders are characterised by persistent patterns of behaviour and emotional difficulties that significantly interfere with a person’s functioning at home, at school, at work or within the community. Conditions such as conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder can involve persistent aggression, defiance, rule-breaking, hostility, impulsivity and difficulty regulating emotions. Behavioural difficulties may also occur alongside other developmental, psychological, emotional or learning difficulties.
The important point is that behavioural difficulties should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a bad person or bad parenting.
This does not mean that harmful behaviour should be ignored. Violence, abuse, destruction of property and serious violations of other people’s rights must be addressed. But punishment alone does not solve the underlying problem. If a person has difficulties affecting emotional and behavioural regulation, repeatedly punishing them without identifying and addressing their needs may create a cycle of failure, rejection and worsening behaviour.
For many Zimbabwean children, the consequences begin in the classroom.
A learner who constantly interrupts lessons, refuses instructions, fights with peers or becomes aggressive may quickly become known as “the problem child”. Once that label takes hold, every subsequent action may be interpreted negatively. The learner may receive repeated punishment, be sent out of class, suspended or eventually excluded from school.
Instead of asking what is driving the behaviour, we often ask how severely the child should be punished.
This approach deserves serious reconsideration.
A RIGHTS ISSUE, NOT SIMPLY A DISCIPLINE ISSUE
Zimbabwe already has an important legal and policy foundation for responding to children and adults with disabilities and additional support needs.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe, 2013, recognises the right to education and contains specific provisions protecting the rights of children and persons with disabilities. Section 75 provides for the right to education, while Section 83 requires the State to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities can realise their full potential and participate fully in society.
These constitutional commitments are important because they move the discussion away from charity and towards rights.
The Education Act, as amended, provides the legislative foundation for Zimbabwe’s education system and supports the provision of education for learners, including those requiring additional educational support. The Education Amendment Act of 2020 further strengthened children’s rights in education and reinforced the principle that learners should be protected from harmful practices and discrimination.
Zimbabwe’s Inclusive Education Policy also provides an important framework for creating education systems capable of responding to learner diversity. Its implementation should not be limited to physical disabilities. Inclusion must also recognise learners experiencing behavioural, emotional, developmental and other difficulties that affect participation and learning.
The Inclusive Education Handbook provides practical guidance towards more inclusive educational practice. What is now required is stronger implementation at school and community level.
Zimbabwe’s disability framework, including the Persons with Disabilities Act, also provides a basis for protecting the rights, participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities. The country must continue strengthening the implementation of these commitments so that people whose disabilities or functional difficulties include behavioural and psychosocial needs are not forgotten.
Child protection legislation and policies are equally relevant. The Children’s Act and Zimbabwe’s broader child protection framework place responsibilities on society and the State to protect children from abuse, neglect and harmful treatment.
These frameworks send a clear message: children and persons with disabilities are rights-holders, not problems to be removed from society.
The challenge is therefore not simply a lack of policies. It is the gap between policy and practice.
OUR SCHOOLS MUST MOVE FROM PUNISHMENT TO POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT
Education is not only about teaching children who are easy to teach.
Inclusive education means creating systems capable of responding to diversity, including behavioural and emotional needs. A school that simply excludes every learner who struggles with behaviour is not solving the problem; it is transferring the problem from the classroom to the community.
Teachers also need support.
It is unrealistic to expect a teacher managing a large class, often with limited resources, to successfully respond to complex behavioural difficulties without appropriate training and professional assistance. Teachers need practical knowledge of positive behaviour support, emotional regulation, de-escalation, classroom management and inclusive education.
They also need access to professionals who can assist when a learner’s needs go beyond ordinary classroom management.
A learner with persistent behavioural difficulties should not be treated as a disciplinary case from the moment they enter the school office. Schools should have systems for identifying patterns, documenting concerns, engaging parents, assessing possible underlying needs and developing individualised support strategies.
PARENTS ALSO NEED SUPPORT, NOT BLAME
Raising a child with significant behavioural difficulties can be emotionally exhausting.
Parents may face criticism from relatives, neighbours, teachers and other parents. Some are accused of failing to discipline their children. Others may resort to harsh punishment because they have never been given alternative strategies.
Zimbabwe needs to move away from the culture of blame and towards a culture of support.
Parents should be taught how to identify behavioural triggers, establish consistent routines, communicate expectations, reinforce positive behaviour and seek professional assistance when necessary.
Parents should also understand that seeking help is not an admission of failure. It is an act of responsibility.
THE PROBLEM DOES NOT END WHEN A CHILD TURNS 18
Behavioural difficulties can continue into adulthood.
Adults may struggle with anger, impulsivity, relationships, conflict, workplace expectations and emotional regulation. Without appropriate support, these difficulties may contribute to unemployment, family breakdown, social isolation, and substance misuse, involvement with the criminal justice system, and repeated conflict with society.
Yet adults with behavioural difficulties are often given even less understanding than children.
Once an adult has been labelled “difficult”, “violent” or “impossible”, society may stop believing that change is possible.
We must reject this hopelessness.
People can learn new skills. People can develop healthier ways of responding to frustration and conflict. People can improve their relationships. People can become productive employees, responsible parents and active members of their communities.
But they need opportunities, appropriate intervention and people who believe that improvement is possible.
WHAT GOVERNMENT MUST DO
The Government of Zimbabwe must move from broad policy commitments to adequately resourced implementation.
There is a need for stronger investment in child and adolescent mental health, psychological services, rehabilitation and community-based support. Behavioural and emotional difficulties should be recognised within wider national strategies dealing with education, disability, health, child protection and social welfare.
Government should ensure that professional assessment and intervention services are available beyond major urban centres. Rural children and adults should not be disadvantaged simply because they live far from specialist services.
There is also a need for stronger coordination between the Ministries responsible for education, health, and social welfare and disability affairs so that families are not forced to move from one institution to another without receiving comprehensive assistance.
Government should further strengthen data collection on learners and adults experiencing behavioural and psychosocial difficulties. Without reliable information, it is difficult to plan services, allocate resources or measure progress.
Most importantly, Government must ensure that the constitutional rights of persons with disabilities and children’s rights are translated into accessible services and meaningful participation.
WHAT MoPSE MUST DO
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) has a particularly important responsibility.
First, behavioural difficulties should be more deliberately incorporated into teacher education, in-service training and continuing professional development. Teachers need practical skills rather than theoretical awareness alone.
Second, MoPSE should strengthen Schools Psychological Services and Special Needs Education so that schools can access professional assessment, counselling, behaviour support and referral services.
Third, every school should be encouraged to develop positive behaviour support systems rather than relying overwhelmingly on punitive disciplinary approaches.
Fourth, schools should be supported to develop individual learner support plans for children with persistent and significant behavioural needs. These plans should involve teachers, parents, relevant professionals and, where appropriate, the learner.
Fifth, MoPSE should strengthen collaboration between schools and health and social service professionals. A teacher should not be expected to diagnose a behavioural disorder. The teacher’s responsibility is to identify concerns, document patterns, provide appropriate classroom support and facilitate referral.
Finally, MoPSE should ensure that disciplinary policies are consistent with children’s rights, inclusive education principles and the protection of learners from harmful treatment.
WHAT SCHOOLS MUST DO
Schools must become places where behavioural difficulties are identified early rather than simply punished repeatedly.
School heads should establish multidisciplinary support structures where possible. Teachers should document behavioural patterns and possible triggers rather than simply recording punishments.
Schools should use positive reinforcement, clear expectations, structured routines, restorative approaches and appropriate consequences. Learners should be taught what behaviour is expected and how they can manage frustration, disagreement and strong emotions.
Where behaviour presents a safety risk, schools must protect other learners and staff. However, safety measures should be accompanied by assessment, intervention and rehabilitation rather than indefinite exclusion.
Most importantly, schools must stop attaching permanent labels to children.
A child is not “a problem child”.
A child is a child experiencing a problem that requires a response.
WHAT PARENTS MUST DO
Parents should create supportive and consistent home environments. They should establish clear expectations, recognise positive behaviour and avoid responding to every difficulty through physical or humiliating punishment.
Parents should communicate openly with teachers and seek professional assessment when behavioural difficulties are persistent or significantly interfere with learning, relationships or daily functioning.
They should also learn about their child’s strengths.
A child should not grow up hearing only what they do wrong. Children with behavioural difficulties need to know that they are valued, capable and capable of change.
Parents must also advocate for their children. Where a learner requires additional support, parents should engage with the school and relevant professionals rather than accepting exclusion as the only solution.
SUPPORT DOES NOT MEAN EXCUSING HARMFUL BEHAVIOUR
There is a danger that advocacy for people with behavioural disorders may be misunderstood as a call to excuse unacceptable conduct.
It is not.
Supporting someone does not mean permitting violence, abuse or behaviour that places others at risk. Accountability remains important. Boundaries remain important. The safety of other children, families, teachers, workers and communities remains important.
But accountability and support are not opposites.
A person can be held accountable while also receiving assistance to understand their behaviour, develop coping skills and reduce the likelihood of repeating harmful actions.
That is the difference between punishment that simply condemns and intervention that seeks to change lives.
ZIMBABWE MUST CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN POLICY AND PRACTICE
Zimbabwe has made important commitments to education, disability inclusion, child protection and human rights. The Constitution, education legislation, disability frameworks and inclusive education policies provide a foundation upon which a more responsive system can be built.
But policies cannot change lives if they remain on paper.
The real test is what happens when a teacher encounters a child who repeatedly disrupts lessons.
The real test is what happens when a parent asks for help.
The real test is what happens when an adult who has struggled with behavioural difficulties seeks another opportunity.
The real test is whether our institutions respond with rejection or with a pathway towards support and rehabilitation.
Zimbabwe must invest in early identification, professional assessment, teacher training, family support, school-based interventions, accessible psychological services and community awareness.
We need to strengthen the bridge between education, health, social welfare and disability services.
Above all, we need to change the language we use.
Instead of saying, “That child is troublesome,” let us ask, “What is this child struggling with?”
Instead of saying, “Those parents cannot control their child,” let us ask, “What support does this family need?”
Instead of saying, “That adult will never change,” let us ask, “What intervention could help this person build a better future?”
These questions are not signs of weakness. They are signs of a society that understands human dignity.
A behaviour disorder may create serious challenges, but it should never become a life sentence of exclusion.
Zimbabwe must stop defining people by their most difficult behaviour. We must start seeing the person, understanding the need and providing the support.
Every child deserves an opportunity to learn.
Every adult deserves an opportunity to contribute.
Every family deserves access to support.
And every person, regardless of behavioural challenges or disability, deserves to live with dignity.
The time has come for Zimbabwe to move beyond punishment to positive behaviour support, beyond stigma to understanding, and beyond exclusion to genuine inclusion.
We cannot build an inclusive Zimbabwe by leaving behind the people whose behaviour we find difficult to understand.
