Government Mulls Reintroducing Public Caning In Schools

The Education Ministry is considering reintroducing public caning for indisciplined students. Its deputy minister Datuk Noh Omar said the ministry must, however, ensure that the move would not be in conflict with existing laws and regulations.

"We need to discuss the matter and take into consideration that public caning was introduced in 1959 when the Child Act 2001 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child did not exist then," he said in the Dewan Rakyat here today. Wan Hashim Wan Teh (BN-Gerik) had suggested that public caning be reintroduced as a deterrent for indiscipline among school students.

Noh said the power to cane students was given to the school principals or headmasters, but the ministry had in 2003 issued a directive disallowing it be done in public but in the room and witnessed by a teacher. Noh said cases of indiscipline did not occur only in religious and fully residential schools but also in day schools.

"All principals of fully residential schools will be given courses to remind them of the dangers of ragging or orientation. We will also invite the police to give talks to the senior students on the matter before the new school term begins."

He said the government could not stop the media from highlighting the problem of indiscipline in schools which created all kinds of public perception on the issue and schools involved. (Bernama)

***** Will caning be an effective deterrent or will it take more effort on the part of parents to raise their children responsibly? Giving birth to half-a-dozen monsters is easy, but bringing them up properly is the tricky part. To expect teachers or public caning to replace or compensate parental neglect and irresponsibility is to ask for the impossible.
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