China has enforced new rules governing school disciplinary methods, banning physical punishment and verbal abuse in primary and secondary schools.
The outlaw of corporal punishment and verbal abuse came into force on Monday, March 1.
Educators are now prohibited from carrying out disciplinary procedures that would inflict direct physical pain on students, according to the trailed regulations released by the Ministry of Education last December.
Other forbidden disciplinary methods include verbal abuse that could harm students’ mental health, forcing students to stand still or assume physically uncomfortable positions for a long period of time.
Furtive forms of punishment such as intentional isolation is also forbidden.
The new regulation comes with a three-tiered disciplinary regime and stipulated conditions under which educators need to intervene in disciplinary actions.
According to the regulation, students who commit minor offenses should only receive minor punishments such as being required to make oral or written apologies or undertake classroom chores.
Harsh measures for severe violations will only apply to children who reach their senior years in primary schools and students in middle and senior classes.
