SINGAPORE: School bullies in Singapore face caning under new guidelines, but the education minister said on Tuesday it would be meted out only as a last resort with strict safeguards.
Human rights groups regularly criticise Singapore for the use of corporal punishment, which remains part of both the school system and criminal justice, but authorities have defended it as a deterrent to crime and serious misconduct.
Caning was discussed in parliament Tuesday after legislators asked how it would be used in relation to bullying in schools.
The debate followed stricter guidelines against serious student misconduct, including bullying, unveiled by the education ministry last month.
Under the guidelines, offenders could face between one and three strokes of the cane.
“Our schools use caning as a disciplinary measure if all the other measures are inadequate, given the gravity of the misconduct,” Education Minister Desmond Lee said Tuesday.
“They follow strict protocols to ensure safety for the student. For instance, caning must be approved by the principal and administered only by authorised teachers,” he said.
