Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) introduces updated anti-bullying measures under which caning is used only as a last resort, with strict safety and procedural safeguards. Education Minister Desmond Lee says caning applies in cases of serious misconduct and only after all other discipline and intervention options are considered inadequate. The approach is discussed in Singapore’s parliament, where MPs submit numerous written and oral questions about the new measures.
Reporting across outlets states that caning is limited to male students, including cases involving bullying through digital or cyber means. The Guardian and other local coverage indicate eligibility is linked to age, specifying students aged nine and above. The Guardian also reports limits on the penalty, saying a maximum of up to three strokes can be applied under the new rules.
Several reports note concerns raised by studies and by human-rights advocates about corporal punishment, including the potential harms of poorly administered or frequent punishment. In response, Singapore’s government emphasizes that caning—if used at all—is tightly regulated and constrained to the most severe, last-resort situations.
