Singapore Teachers Permitted to Cane Boys as Young as 9 to Combat Bullying

Singapore's Education Minister, Desmond Lee, has confirmed that teachers are authorized to use caning as a disciplinary measure for unruly students, including those as young as nine years old. This announcement comes as part of a new anti-bullying strategy unveiled by the Singaporean administration on April 15, aimed at curbing harassment and serious misconduct in schools.

Addressing concerns raised in Parliament regarding the mental health impact on young children, Minister Lee explained that schools only resort to caning when all other disciplinary measures have proven inadequate relative to the gravity of the offense. He emphasized that the new framework, which will be fully rolled out across all Singaporean schools by 2027, is built on the premise that clear boundaries enforced by firm consequences help youth make better choices.

The Education Ministry has established rigorous safeguards to ensure student safety during the administration of corporal punishment. A student can only be caned after obtaining formal approval from the school principal, and the act must be carried out by specifically authorized teachers. Furthermore, the ministry’s guidelines explicitly state that caning is a disciplinary option reserved exclusively for male students.

Minister Lee noted that before administering the punishment, schools must consider the student's "mental maturity" and whether the act will effectively help them learn from their mistake. Following the incident, schools are required to monitor the student’s well-being and provide necessary counseling. For female students, alternative punishments such as detention, suspension, or adjustments to conduct grades will be utilized.

The decision stands in contrast to a growing international trend toward the abolition of corporal punishment in educational settings. A landmark report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in August 2025 highlighted that corporal punishment remains alarmingly widespread, affecting an estimated 1.2 billion children globally.

The WHO report warned that such physical punishment offers no benefits to a child’s development or behavior and can instead cause lifelong damage to physical and mental health. The organization has called for an immediate global end to the practice, citing overwhelming scientific evidence that it increases risks of anxiety, depression, and aggressive behavior in adulthood. Despite these warnings, Singapore maintains that its approach remains a necessary and effective deterrent within its specific legal and cultural context.