Caning out of anger or to educate?

Student caning has become a public issue due to a recent caning incident where a female secondary school student was canned by a male teacher.

The incident made headlines on June 25 after a video showing a woman, believed to be the student’s mother, questioning the male teacher on his act, went viral. Alongside the video, photos of caning marks on the student’s body also made their rounds in the media.

It was reported that the teacher caned the student after the latter called him ‘ah qua lao shi’ (effeminate teacher).

The issue has since received mixed reactions from netizens. Some agreed that the student was wrong, but there were other methods that can be used to educate her. Others backed the teacher’s action that caning will teach the student a lesson.

Consequently, the authorities were quick to address the incident as it was a serious public concern. Education Minister Maszlee Malik, his deputy Teo Nie Ching and Johor Education, Human Resource, Science and Technology Committee chairman Aminolhuda Hassan made official statements regarding the issue.

Maszlee said that the case will be investigated according to the existing regulations, while the reputations of both parties will be protected at the same time.

Meanwhile, Teo Nie Ching expressed a firm stance against the teacher. The Deputy Minister of Education said a teacher must not cane his/her student, especially females, as per the Education Ministry’s guidelines on caning and corporal punishment which has been implemented since 2003.

Additionally, Teo implied that the teacher may be going through some emotional problems that had caused him to cane the female student; suggesting that teachers who are going through the same should seek counselling rather than lashing out at their students.

On the other hand, Aminolhuda revealed that a meeting will be held on June 27 involving both parties and the school’s Parent Teacher Association to resolve the issue.

Should caning be allowed in school to educate student? If yes, what would be the guidelines or limits?