SINGAPORE — Singapore has introduced new school discipline rules under which male students found guilty of bullying can be caned, with the education ministry’s new policy debated in the country’s parliament this week. Under the rules, schools can cane boys one to three times for bullying or cyberbullying.
British newspaper The Independent reported that Singapore Education Minister Desmond Lee said caning would be used as “a last resort.” Lee said the punishment would only be applied “when, given the severity of misconduct, all other measures are inadequate.”
“Strict protocols will be followed to ensure student safety,” Lee said. “For example, caning will require the school principal’s authorization and can only be carried out by authorized teachers.” Schools will also weigh the student’s mental maturity and whether caning will help the student learn from the mistake and understand the gravity of the act, he said.
The tougher policy follows a year-long review of student behavior. Several high-profile bullying cases at Singapore schools that sparked intense nationwide debate also contributed to the decision.
Lee said the measure would apply only to male students at the upper primary level — boys aged 9 to 12 and older. Caning of women is prohibited under Singapore’s criminal procedure code, he said. The “welfare and progress” of punished students would be monitored afterward, with counseling and other support services provided if needed, he said.
For female students found guilty of bullying, the minister said schools would use “detention, suspension, downgrading of conduct grades and other school-based punishments.” Human rights groups have long opposed the use of corporal punishment in Singapore’s schools and its broader justice system. Singapore authorities maintain that caning serves as an effective deterrent against serious offenses and misconduct.
Caning in Singapore dates to the British colonial era. The United Kingdom later abolished corporal punishment at home, and Australia ended caning in government schools decades ago, with some private schools there phasing it out in the early 2000s.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report