Attendance in schools: SA agrees corporal punishment should be discouraged

MQM MPA claims female lawmakers only given 50 per cent of promised budgets.

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution on Thursday to repeal section 9 of the Pakistan Penal Code that allows school children under 12 years of age to be punished for misbehaviour.

Moving the resolution, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Shamim Ara Panhwar said that many teachers are found torturing their students in the name of corporal punishment, which has increased the drop-out ratio in primary and secondary schools in Sindh. “Not only do the students leave school because of the constant fear of punishment, but it affects their mental health as well,” she said.

Though the resolution was passed unanimously, the members held opposing views. Some members felt that corporal punishment is necessary to discipline students. The education minister Pir Mazharul Haq supported the idea of repealing the law. “Even those students who cannot tolerate the punishment are abused under this law. It is hazardous.”

PPP’s Humera Alwani shared that there is a 30-per-cent drop-out ratio in government schools because of the corporal punishment. Meanwhile, Jam Tamachi Unar said that teachers give corporal punishment for the benefit of students, which should continue. “The reason for a high drop-out ratio is not because of corporal punishment, but a lack of teachers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement MPA Heer Ismail Soho moved a privilege motion on discrimination against female MPAs, whose funds have been seized by the provincial government. “In budget books, the government has announced Rs60 million funds for all MPAs, but only 50 per cent funds have been given to female lawmakers,” she said. “The male MPAs have been given all funds.” The chief minister promised that he will speak to the finance minister and make sure that all pending funds are released.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2013.