ID :
23185
Tue, 10/07/2008 - 18:48
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/23185
The shortlink copeid
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 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experience violence become withdrawn from academic pursuit and less motivated to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.
Unicef representative in Malaysia, 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.
