Kenyan teachers are calling for the use of caning to be reinstated.

Several instructors believe that physical punishment should be reinstated in the classroom so that teachers can be harder on misbehaving students.

In 2001, Kenya made corporal punishment illegal in schools. The Children's Act safeguards children from all sorts of maltreatment.

However, several secondary school principals believe the prohibition weakens their authority in the classroom.

"The policy on discipline management is time-consuming and makes it difficult for any school or board of management to adopt any disciplinary measures," says Kahi Indimuli, the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association's president.

This week, headteachers will convene for an annual conference to tackle the mounting dissent in schools.

Last year, several government secondary schools were set on fire, with the majority of the events being blamed on students.

Education Minister George Magoha issued a warning to teachers in February about the use of caning in schools, but he had previously hinted at a policy reform to address rising incidences of indiscipline in schools.