Singapore’s education minister Desmond Lee on Tuesday said that caning in schools was used only as a last resort, and only when other disciplinary measures were not enough. He was responding to more than 20 parliamentary questions on the ministry of education’s updated efforts to tackle bullying.Lee acknowledged that research links frequent and poorly administered corporal punishment, especially in unregulated settings like homes, to negative outcomes. However, he said the situation in schools was different. “We recognise this, and I want to emphasise that the context in our schools is quite different,” he said, as quoted by Channel News Asia.He explained that schools followed strict rules before using caning. According to Lee, it must be approved by the principal and carried out only by authorised teachers and schools also consider the student’s maturity and whether the punishment will help the student learn from the mistake.After caning, schools monitor the student’s well-being and provide counselling and rehabilitation support, he said, adding that it was part of a broader effort to ensure discipline is corrective and not just punitive.
‘Clear boundaries’ to reduce bullying
The statement comes after the ministry of education announced a stricter framework in April to deal with student misconduct, especially bullying. Under the new rules, students who bully others can face suspension, caning and lower conduct grades. First-time offenders of serious misconduct may face one to three days of detention or suspension, and older boys may receive one stroke of the cane in certain cases.Lee said the approach was based on research showing that students make better choices when there are “clear boundaries enforced by firm and meaningful consequences”. He added, “This has a positive impact on reducing bullying and enables the school community to feel safe to learn in an orderly environment.”He also clarified that caning applied only to boys and only in serious cases, in line with the Criminal Procedure Code, which does not allow caning of women. He said this did not mean girls were treated lightly. Schools use other measures such as detention, suspension and conduct grade changes to ensure fair punishment.On cyberbullying, Lee said the ministry takes online incidents seriously and will continue guiding schools on how to handle them. Once the Online Safety Commission starts work at the end of June, students facing online harm like harassment or image abuse will be able to seek faster help. Schools will support affected students and guide them on reporting such cases.
Support for vulnerable students
For students with special educational needs or mental health conditions, schools first ensure safety and then provide support. “Trained school personnel will also look out for signs of distress that may not be immediately visible or explicitly communicated,” Lee said, adding that the aim was to help students regain confidence and feel safe again.At the same time, if such students hurt others, schools focus on helping them understand the impact of their actions. The ministry has also announced more funding to hire youth workers, counsellors and support staff to help manage student behaviour and reduce pressure on teachers.
