DEBAK: The Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) has been urged to reconsider restoring teachers’ authority to cane students as part of efforts to strengthen discipline and build character in schools.
Deputy Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister, Datuk Mohammad Razi Sitam, said the proposal deserves serious attention in light of the increasing number of serious incidents involving students, including cases of bullying, rape and murder, reported in recent times.
He noted that these developments have raised growing public concern, especially among parents, over the safety and discipline of students in schools.
“We are very worried about the recent cases, including murder, rape and bullying in schools.
“Parents are also concerned for their children’s safety as they see such incidents happening more frequently,” he said.
Razi, who is also Saribas Assemblyman, said this after chairing the Debak Festival 2025 Organising Committee Meeting at his service centre here today.
He pointed out that it is time to introduce a new approach to address student disciplinary issues, including returning caning authority to teachers as an educational measure, not a punitive one intended to harm.
“In the past, I myself was caned by teachers for being naughty and not doing my homework. But back then, we understood that the caning was meant to teach us a lesson.
“Nowadays, it seems like caning has become an offence, even though teachers’ intention is merely to instil discipline in students,” he said.
Razi stressed that no teacher intends to injure students and that every disciplinary action is taken with the responsibility to educate and mould good character.
He said caning in the past had proven effective in producing a more respectful and well-mannered generation.
As such, he believes that teachers’ caning authority should be reinstated, provided that its implementation follows clear guidelines and is carried out with proper supervision to suit the current context.
“With clear rules and proper monitoring in place, this step is believed to help restore discipline and moral values among today’s younger generation in schools,” he added.
Meanwhile, Razi informed that Debak Festival 2025 is expected to be held in December, with 20 programmes lined up to boost the local community’s socio-economic development.
