WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985
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PUNISHMENT ON STUDENTS SHOULD BE APPROPRIATE
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SCHOOL AUTHORITIES SHOULD EXERCISE THEIR DISCRETION CAREFULLY IN DETERMINING THE KIND OF PUNISHMENT CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE FOR AN OFFENCE BY A STUDENT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE AGE OF THE PUPIL CONCERENED, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, SAID TODAY.
ORA
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHAN YING-LUNG, MR HENDERSON SA ID THE MOST COMMON FORMS OF DISCIPLINE INCLUDED DETENTION, COPYING FROM TEXTBOOKS AND ACCUMULATION OF DEMERITS WHILE CORPORAL PUNISHMENT, SUSPENSION OR EXPULSION MIGHT BE RESORTED TO IN SERIOUS CASES.
REGARDING CORPORAL PUNISHMENT, HE SAID, EDUCATION REGULATIONS 58 AND 59 SPECIFIED HOW AND TO WHOM IT MIGHT BE ADMINISTERED AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ISSUED CIRCULARS FROM TIME TO TIME ADVISING HEAD TEACHERS TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE APPROPRIATENESS OF SUCH PUNISHMENT IN EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE.
+AS REGARDS SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION, DETAILED RULES ARE SET OUT IN THE CODES OF AID FOR AIDED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND IN THE RELEVANT REGULATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS,+ MR HENDERSON SAID.
IN PARTICULAR, HE ADDED, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT MUST BE CONSULTED BEFORE ANY CHILD WAS EXPELLED.
HE SAID THAT WHERE PARENTS WERE DISSATISFIED WITH THE NATURE
THE OR EXTENT OF THE DISCIPLINE ADMINISTERED TO THEIR CHILDREN, NORMAL COURSE WAS TO COMPLAIN TO THE HEAD TEACHER IN THE FIRST INSTANCE,
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+ IF THE COMPLAINT IS REJECTED OR IF THE REPLY GIVEN IS UNSATISFACTORY, PARENTS CAN- AND DO TAKE THEIR COMPLAINTS TO THE DISTRICT EDUCATION OFFICER WHO WILL INVESTIGATE AND TAKE ACTION AS NECESSARY WITH THE SCHOOL, + MR HENDERSON ADDED.
HE SAID COMPLAINTS BY PARENTS OF USE OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT WERE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN AND TEACHERS WHO WERE FOUND TO HAVE ADMINISTERED SUCH PUNISHMENT IMPROPERLY OR EXCESSIVELY WERE WARNED.
+ IN SERIOUS CASES, CONSIDERATION WOULD HAVE TO BE GIVEN TO CANCELL ING THE TEACHER'S REGISTRATION OR TEACHING PERMIT,+ MR HENDERSON SAID.
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