SUVA, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Fiji will never introduce corporal punishment as a form of discipline for children, said Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama on Friday.
Speaking at one of Fiji's 14 provincial council meetings on Friday, Bainimarama said corporal punishment was a form of assault and would never be condoned.
Bainimarama told the Tailevu Provincial Council that some teachers and parents were asking for corporal punishment to be brought back to discipline a child since the behavior of some students in schools has been appalling.
But he said teachers and parents should understand that using corporal punishment is not the way to instil good values in students.
Bainimarama said parents should be responsible as discipline of a child starts from home and parents need to work hard in instilling good values so they can become a better person in future.
Last year 33 teachers were terminated in Fiji because they inflicted corporal punishment on students, said Fiji's Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts Rosy Akbar earlier.
She advised parents and guardians not to use corporal punishment on children and the government has a zero tolerance on it.
Akbar said they were going to involve civil society organizations to ensure that teachers in Fiji were assisted through counselling to cope with disciplinary issues.
