Singapore’s Education Minister has said that teachers in Singapore are permitted to use caning as a disciplinary measure in specific cases involving serious student misconduct.
Responding in parliament on Tuesday, Desmond Lee explained that corporal punishment is only considered after other disciplinary methods have failed.
“Our schools use caning as a disciplinary measure if all the other measures are inadequate, given the gravity of the misconduct,” Desmond Lee said in parliament on Tuesday in response to questions about new anti-bullying measures announced on April 15 – including one asking about the mental health impact of caning children as young as 9 years old.
He added that safeguards are in place to ensure the process is controlled and safe for students.
“They follow strict protocols to ensure safety for the student. For instance, caning must be approved by the principal and administered only by authorised teachers,” he told lawmakers, with the new framework to be rolled out across Singaporean schools from 2027.
Lee also stressed that schools are expected to exercise judgment based on individual cases and student maturity before deciding on punishment.
“Schools will consider factors such as the maturity of the student and if caning will help the student learn from his mistake and understand the gravity of what he has done,” said Lee.
“Schools exercise discretion on whether to use caning as a disciplinary consequence after assessing the circumstances of the offense committed,” he added.
He defended the policy as part of a broader approach to discipline, arguing that clear consequences help shape behaviour.
“This approach is based on research which shows that children and youth learn to make better choices when there are clear boundaries enforced by firm, meaningful consequences,” said Lee, claiming that it helps to reduce bullying.
According to the Ministry of Education guidelines, corporal punishment remains restricted in scope and application.
“Caning is a disciplinary option for boys only, and for serious offences as a last resort, when absolutely necessary,” it says.
Corporal punishment in schools has become increasingly rare in many parts of the world, though it still exists in some countries.
The World Health Organization has previously warned about its long-term impact on children.
In an August 2025 report, it stated, “The consequences of child corporal punishment can last a lifetime and undermine physical and mental health, education, and social and occupational functioning,” WHO said in a report published August 2025.
It further added, “There is now overwhelming scientific evidence that child corporal punishment carries multiple risks of harm and has no benefits for children, parents, or societies,” it added.
Singapore is widely known for its strict legal system and firm enforcement of public order rules.
At the end of April, a French teenager was charged under Singapore law after an unusual vending machine incident involving an orange juice dispenser.
Singapore has also seen other high-profile disciplinary cases involving foreign nationals.
One of the most widely reported was in 1993, when American Michael Fay was arrested for vandalism and theft-related offences after spray-painting cars.
Fay, then 18, was sentenced to four months in prison and six strokes of the cane, later reduced to four after international pressure, including intervention from then-US President Bill Clinton.
Singapore ultimately enforced the sentence, reinforcing its stance that its laws apply equally to citizens and foreigners, an episode that briefly strained relations with the United States.
