Singapore introduces caning for kids who bully at school

Male students who bully others, including through cyberbullying, will face caning as a “last resort” under new guidelines introduced in Singapore.

Male students can face up to three strokes of the cane under the new rules, debated in parliament on Tuesday.

International groups such as Unicef, the United Nations children’s agency, oppose the use of corporal punishment for children, saying it harms their physical and mental health and increases behavioral problems over time.

Education Minister Desmond Lee told lawmakers that caning would only be applied “if all other measures are inadequate, given the seriousness of the misconduct.”

“They follow strict protocols to ensure student safety. For example, caning must be approved by the principal and administered only by authorized teachers,” he said.

“Schools will consider factors such as the student’s maturity and whether caning will help the student learn from their mistakes and understand the gravity of what they have done.”

The measures follow a year-long review focused on bullying and come after several high-profile school bullying incidents caught public attention last year.

Caning will be used as punishment only for male students in upper primary levels (ages 9-12) and above, said Lee, who referred to the country’s code of criminal procedure, which prohibits caning of women.

After the caning is imposed, the school would “monitor the student’s well-being and progress,” including providing counseling, Lee said.

Female students, she said, will receive punishments “such as detention and/or suspension, adjustments to their conduct grades, and other school-wide consequences.”

Judicial flogging, first introduced by British colonialists in the 19th century, continues to be used in Singapore for male offenders under 50. This includes crimes such as robbery, fraud or overstaying your visa for 90 days.

A report released last year by the World Health Organization said corporal punishment remained “alarmingly widespread” globally, adding that it caused significant harm to children’s health and development.

According to the WHO, globally, approximately 1.2 billion children aged 0 to 18 are subjected to corporal punishment at home every year.

Credits: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/06/singapore-caning-school-bullies?CMP=share_btn_url

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