Corporal punishment: Education secy given a week to respond

LAHORE: Justice Muhammad Sajid Mehmood Sethi of Lahore High Court on Friday again sought a response from the education secretary on a petition seeking implementation of a government policy against corporal punishment at schools.

Sethi asked the secretary to submit his comments in a week. Petitioner Naheed Baig had submitted that the provincial government had yet to ensure an end to incidents of corporal punishment at schools. She said in a policy adopted in 2005 the government had avowed its commitment to end beating at schools. She said the government had yet to implement the policy in letter and spirit.

The petitioner said adverse impact of corporal punishment on children’s growth had been recognised all over the world. “Children should be allowed to learn without any fear of reprisal or punishment,” she said.

She said that corporal punishment was a serious violation of fundamental rights of the children. She said physical punishments could negatively impact children’s behaviours and prevent growth of their mental faculties. She said the government should be asked to put in place at schools an enabling environment for children.

She requested the court to direct the government to ensure implementation of its 2005 policy seeking an end to corporal punishment at schools.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2016.