Singapore introduces caning for boys who bully others at school

Male school pupils who bully others, including through cyber-bullying, will face caning as a “last resort” under new guidelines introduced in Singapore.

Male students could face up to three strokes of the cane under the new rules, which were discussed in parliament on Tuesday.

International groups such as Unicef, the UN agency for children, are against it the use of corporal punishment for childrenand say it harms their physical and mental health, and increases behavioral problems over time.

Education Minister Desmond Lee told lawmakers that caning would only be applied “if all other measures are insufficient, given the seriousness of the misconduct.”

“They follow strict protocols to ensure safety for the student. For example, soot sticks must be approved by the principal and administered only by authorized teachers,” he said.

“Schools will take into account factors such as the maturity of the student and if they do this, it will help the student learn from his mistake and understand the seriousness of what he did.”

The measures follow a year-long review focused on bullying, and come after several high-profile bullying incidents caught the public’s attention last year.

Caning will only be used as a punishment for male students in upper primary levels (ages 9-12 years) and above, said Lee, who pointed to the country’s penal procedure code that prohibits the beating of women.

After the caning is imposed, the school will “monitor the student’s well-being and progress,” including counseling, Lee said.

Female students, he said, will receive punishments “such as detention and/or suspension, adjustment of their behavior grade and other school-based consequences.”

Judicial caning, first introduced by British colonialists in the 19th century, is still used in Singapore for male offenders under the age of 50. It includes crimes such as robbery, fraud or overstaying a visa for 90 days.

ON report released by the World Health Organization said last year that corporal punishment remained “alarmingly widespread” worldwide, adding that it caused significant damage to children’s health and development.

Worldwide, an estimated 1.2 billion children between the ages of 0-18 are subjected to corporal punishment at home annually, according to the WHO.