The right way to punish children

TS,Monday 11 April 2011 

Words in italics omitted by The Star 

The case of Saiful Syazani Sopfidee, 7, who was allegedly beaten for two hours by a teacher on March 31 and died on April 3, has drawn many responses from various concerned parties. 

The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), too, has urged all quarters to respect the Convention of the Rights of a Child (CRC) and the Child Act 2001. 

The well-informed may have access to the CRC and the onus is on the authorities to institute appropriate measures for its implementation and compliance. 

However, it is a bridge too far between the CRC and the man on the street as the gap is too wide. 

Straightforward and practical steps that are easier to communicate and practise should be introduced. 

First, we should send out a clarion call that punishments should not be meted out while in a state of anger. 

Second, whenever possible, another person should be present to restrain if necessary. 

Such advice if repeated often enough will serve as a guide and reminder and may prove effective to prevent serious or fatal injury inflicted on the weak and defenseless. 

Saiful’s adoptive mother, Hazirah Chin, has described the teacher, who is also an ustaz and hostel’s warden, as a caring person. It is likely that the teacher was carried away while meting out punishment. 

Children tend to misbehave from time to time and adults who punish them out of anger are themselves misbehaving and produce no positive outcome. 

Every day, countless children are beaten by angry guardians with most of them escaping with minor physical pain. Some suffer serious injuries and occasionally fatal cases occur. 

Corporal punishment should be the last resort and meted out only after anger has subsided. Otherwise, it would be an endless cycle of mischief and punishment, with no lesson taught or learned. 

Children learn mostly by watching adults and easily mimic adults’ behaviour. 

Parents must learn to truly love and care for their children by setting good examples for them to follow. 

We can develop into a more peaceful and humane society if less emphasis is placed on anger, hatred and condemnation on real or imagined vices and persons. 

We can do with more courtesy, compassion, and charity to make this world a better place. 

Helping a stranger or a loved one requires effort but is more effective than casting stones or meting out punishment. 

YS Chan 

Kuala Lumpur