The Ministry of Education has reminded the people of Matuku that corporal punishment remains illegal and must not be practised in school, including those on the outer islands.
Speaking during a talanoa session at Qalikarua District School on Matuku in Lau, district education officer Eastern Suliasi Vuli reminded villagers that disciplining children in school was against the laws of the country.
A villager had raised the concerns of the vanua that they had agreed at a village meeting to deal with the issue of punishing students.
“When you conduct your village meeting (bose vakoro), you only discuss and deal with issues related to the welfare of the village,” Mr Vuli said.
“You can’t mix them together with the welfare of the school and its students.
“So, whenever you sit down and have your village meetings, your discussions should only be about village issues.”
Mr Vuli told the school manager and the villagers that the Constitution clearly stated it was illegal to discipline a child, whether physically or emotionally.
“Let us all please protect our children and discipline them out of love, and not out of anger.”
