October 07, 2008 21:38 PM

Unicef Malaysia Calls For Ban On Corporal Punishment In Schools

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) Malaysia has called for a ban on corporal punishment in schools as it harms children and damages their education.

Unicef representative in Malaysia, Youssouf Oomar (rpt Youssouf Oomar) said Unicef believed that corporal punishment should be abolished because it was abusive and ineffective.

"It also infringes on the right to education. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibits the use of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, regardless of circumtances," he said in a statement on the second anniversary of the UN World Report on Violence Against Children, Tuesday.

According to the report, he said, lessons in violence had little positive disciplinary value, teaching students that violence was an acceptable solution when dealing with problems.

He said the report also stated that a formula of scoldings, beatings and other physical and psychological punishments ended with students feeling angry and humilliated.

"There is little value for the child or the community as students who experience violence become withdrawn from academic pursuit and less motivated to succeed," he said.

The World report was conducted through five years of intensive consultation including nine regional consultations involving governments, civil society, children; thematic consulations with relevant experts; field visits; as well as questionnaires to 133 governments, including Malaysia.

The report said children more often than not experienced violence at the hands of the very individuals responsible for protecting them and schools were cited as one such location where children experienced violence, both from their teachers in the form of corporal punishments as well as from their peers in the form of bullying.

"Corporal punishment erodes students' trust in their teachers and their schools. It can lead to students feeling disrespectful and angry toward their educators. It also negates a child's capacity to respond to reason," said Youssouf.

He said in Malaysia, corporal punishment in schools was generally viewed as disciplinary action to control students who misbehave.

-- BERNAMA

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