The ruling comes after a parent complained that her child in grade one, a class for six-year-olds, had deep bruises after a beating by a teacher.

Liana Pfungwa said her daughter had been punished for failing to have her reading book signed by guardians as proof she had done her homework. "My child suffered major bruises and I took photographs and pictures… She had deep bruises on her back and she could hardly sleep properly," the state-run Chronicle newspaper quotes her as saying.

In her application, Ms Pfungwa said that children should not be subjected to any form of violence and such corporal punishment breached their rights under Zimbabwe's Constitution. She argued that other forms of discipline should be used for children.

Justice David Mangota agreed that corporal punishment for children was unconstitutional and said that parents and teachers should not lay their hands on children even if they misbehave. The constitutional court will have to confirm the judgment.