Corpun file 25898 at www.corpun.com
The Sunday Post, Kuching, 1 February 2015, p.27
Caning necessary to educate and discipline -- Union
KUALA LUMPUR: While caning is essential in schools to educate and discipline students, it must nevertheless, be carried out in accordance with regulations set by the Education Ministry.
National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general, Lok Yim Pheng said caning was one of the ways to discipline students who were naughty and difficult to control as such behaviour could affect other students.
"There are a handful of students who are stubborn, (as) they just refuse to study. They don't want to listen or be guided and thus, end up disturbing other students.
"...and to discipline such students, caning is (indeed) necessary," she said at a news conference here yesterday.
Lok said, before resorting to caning which was permitted in schools, teachers should refer to guidelines stipulated under a 1959 circular which specified caning guidelines as part of the 1957 Education Ordinance.
"There are teachers who refuse to discipline students by caning for fear of being penalised for doing something criminal.
"We cannot allow disobedience and unruly behaviour in classrooms, we need to discipline students in a more innovative and creative manner," she added.
She hoped the ministry review and improve the caning regulations by giving a more specific definition so that they would be better understood by teachers. -- Bernama
