Singapore to allow caning as punishment for school bullies
Male students in Singapore will be caned as a "last resort" for misconduct.
Singapore's education minister, Desmond Lee, recently said in parliament that teachers are now allowed to cane male students aged nine and above as part of a new anti-bullying measure.
He added that it will only be used in serious misconduct cases, followed by monitoring and counseling.
“Our schools use caning as a disciplinary measure if all the other measures are inadequate, given the gravity of the misconduct,” Lee said, per reports by CNN and The Guardian.
“They follow strict protocols to ensure safety for the student. For instance, caning must be approved by the principal and administered only by authorized teachers,” he continued.
The country's criminal procedure code prohibits the caning of women.
Noting the effect on mental health, Lee shared that schools will also consider key factors, including the student's maturity, to determine if caning will help the student learn from his mistake and understand the gravity of what he has done,” he added.
“Schools will consider factors such as the maturity of the student and if caning will help the student learn from his mistake and understand the gravity of what he has done,” he added.
In its August 2025 report, the World Health Organization said that mild or light corporal punishment, such as caning, harms children’s physical and mental health, which may worsen behavioural problems over time, and has no positive outcomes.
It added that it can also weaken a child's cognitive and socio-emotional development, lead to poor educational outcomes, increased aggression, and perpetration of violence.
The new rule will officially roll out in Singapore schools in 2027.
