Dialogue Fiji opposes corporal punishment in schools

Teachers lack specialised training to determine when corporal punishment is appropriate in schools.
This was stated by Dialogue Fiji executive director Nilesh Lal during a community education workshop on democracy, human rights, and governance held yesterday at the Galaxy Hotel conference room in Labasa.
His comments came in response to a concern raised by participant Tucibi Matavesi, the 2025 Mr Vodafone Festival of the Friendly North, who questioned how corporal punishment could impact a child’s right to education.

“The 2013 Fiji Constitution states a child has the right to education and I strongly believe corporal punishment doesn’t go with this,” Mr Matavesi said.

Mr Lal said the justification given by some teachers' unions for allowing corporal punishment in schools was not appropriate.

“Some evidence states that if you use violence, you will be grooming a violence person because violence does not solve problems,” Mr Lal said.

Mr Lal said that while some may believe physical punishment can reform individuals, it was ineffective.
He further stated that Dialogue Fiji is an organisation that strongly opposes the reintroduction of corporal punishment in the education system.

“We are moving away from the mechanism of physical torture as we are into 21st century and do not deserve to go back to the old regime of inflicting corporal punishment,” he said.

“Fiji has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which places a legal obligation on the State for the protection of children from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse as well.”

He said people must take time to read and understand what 2013 Fiji Constitution is about.