Singapore allows corporal punishment for boys in schools for bullying

Singapore has allowed corporal punishment for boys who bully other students, including online.

This is reported by The Guardian.

The decision was discussed in parliament on May 5. Under the new rules, boys from the age of 9 can be given up to three strokes of the cane. The countryʼs education minister, Desmond Lee, said this would only be possible when other methods of influence have not worked.

He stressed that each such case must be approved by the school principal, and only certain employees can carry out the punishment. Schools must also assess the maturity of the student and whether such punishment will help them realize their guilt.

After that, the students are promised psychological support and monitoring of their behavior and studies. The girls will not be subjected to corporal punishment. They will be kept after school for bullying, suspended from classes, or have their grades lowered for behavior.

• Corporal punishment has been used in Singaporeʼs schools since colonial times, and the country still uses judicial caning for men under 50 for certain offenses.

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