Why only boys? Parents divided over caning rules in S’pore schools

He added that unequal consequences may signal to female students that they can get away with the same behaviour.

However, the father of three — two sons and a daughter — said it is traditionally “not wrong” to offer greater protection to women and girls, citing a higher tendency among males to commit such offences.

He also noted that he inflicted slightly harsher physical punishment on his sons than on his daughter.

When it comes to discipline in schools, Mr Toh said parents should not interfere, as it could make it harder for schools to manage such situations.

Ms Tan echoed a similar view, pointing to the differences between school and home settings, and said parents should respect schools’ decisions, as rules differ in each context.

“If you don’t (respect the school’s decisions), then maybe you should homeschool your kid,” she said.

She added that she trusts schools to have processes in place to ensure such measures are carried out with careful consideration.

‘Backward, genderist and misinformed’

On the other hand, some parents strongly oppose caning altogether.

A mother of two young children, who declined to be named, told Stomp she strongly disagrees with corporal punishment, regardless of gender.

She described MOE’s new measures as “disappointing”, adding that the way parents and schools discipline children needs to change.

“The idea that we need to cane our boys to improve their behaviour is incredibly backward, genderist and misinformed,” she said.

She added that inflicting pain does little to help children who have made poor choices, and at best offers only a temporary fix.

“They are using (caning) as a form of deterrence and fear, to bend children to their will,” she said.

While she acknowledged that parents may choose whether to use physical punishment at home, she stressed that it is “definitely not okay” for someone else — schools or teachers — to “decide that they have the power to enforce corporal punishment on students”.

Parenting expert Kelly Tay, who goes by @juicy.parenting on social media, also voiced her concerns in a video posted on April 16 titled, “SG is getting bullying all wrong”.

She criticised MOE’s move to standardise caning, saying it “makes no sense” as it teaches children that violence is an acceptable way to resolve problems.

“We are literally modelling the exact behaviour we are trying to stop,” she said.

She also pointed to a “gender double standard”, noting that girls cannot be caned in Singapore schools, “but it’s cool for boys”.

In Singapore, only male students may be subjected to caning, with penalties ranging from one to three strokes on the palms or buttocks over clothing.

Even in the case of judicial caning, female offenders, as well as men over the age of 50, are exempt.

Stomp has reached out to Ms Tay for comment.

‘Physical punishment triggers a child’s stress response’: EveryChild.SG

Speaking to Stomp, Aarathi Arumugam, COO of child wellbeing movement EveryChild.SG, said that while the organisation understands MOE’s push for a stronger and more consistent approach to bullying, it does not believe caning supports the goal of ensuring every child feels safe in schools.

She said neither boys nor girls should be caned, citing research showing that corporal punishment can cause psychological harm regardless of gender. 

“The idea that boys can ‘handle it’ better because they may be physically stronger misses the point,” she said, adding that such punishment can trigger a child’s “fight or flight” stress response.

She noted that children who hurt others are often themselves hurt first.

While this does not excuse bullying, she said “restorative practices” — such as counselling and behaviour coaching — are more effective in the long term than physical punishment, which may only temporarily deter behaviour.

“Children are less likely to feel the urge to bully others when they feel safe, seen, wanted, and included in their school community.”

Have something to say? Join in!

See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.