‘Caning allowed under guidelines’

PETALING JAYA: School heads are only allowed to cane students under strict conditions and for serious offences, says Education director-general Datuk Seri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof.

This was stated in a 2003 circular, and those who want more clarity on the matter should refer to it.

“Parents can refer to those guidelines to see if the school head has complied with the regulations,” he told The Star.

He was commenting on a news report which claimed that school heads “will be given full permission to cane students in 2017”.

Dr Khair clarified that caning had always been allowed since the Education (School Discipline) Regulations were enacted in 1959.

The 2003 circular, he said, merely spelled out out the kind of punishment that can be meted out in accordance with the severity of the offence.

“It is to protect both parties,” he said, adding that school heads must refer to the guidelines when it came to implementing corporal punishment.

The 2003 circular prohibits corporal punishment of female students. Corporal punishment for boys is limited to blows with a light cane on the palm of the hand or on the buttocks over the clothes, and can be done only by the head teacher or any staff member.

The circular also categorises offences as “heavy”, “medium” and “light”.

For heavy or serious offences, offenders are given up to three strokes of a light cane on their buttocks. The offences include threatening teachers or students, taking or distributing drugs, bullying, peeping (insulting the modesty of others) and distributing pornography.

Those who commit moderate or medium offences can be caned up to three times on their palms. These offences comprise abuse of school facilities, cheating at examinations or leaving school without permission.

Warnings will be issued for misdemeanours like playing in the classroom, keeping beards or goatees, failing to bring certain books to school or failing to be present in class.

The student should also undergo counselling.

The circular also says a record of corporal punishments should be kept in a confidential form approved by the Registrar, and that caning cannot be carried out in public.

Dr Khair said action would be taken against school staff if complaints made by parents about caning were found to be true.

Teachers must also not cane students out of sheer anger or for revenge, but only to teach students that every offence carries a punishment.

The full list of offences and penalty can be found at www.moe.gov.my.