The Education Act 2025 has introduced a strict nationwide ban on corporal punishment in all schools, reinforcing the government’s commitment to creating safe and respectful learning environments for children.
Under Section 73 of the Act, teachers and all school staff are prohibited from using any form of physical punishment or cruel treatment toward students.
The law defines corporal punishment as “any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, whether or not the pain or discomfort is light.”
The Act also outlaws “cruel, inhumane, degrading or disproportionately severe treatment or punishment”, including belittling, humiliating, threatening, or ridiculing a student.
The law makes it clear that no teacher or person employed by a school may cause any form of physical, mental, or emotional harm to a student.
The new law was tabled in Parliament last week.
