The Balochistan government has officially prohibited corporal punishment in all public and private educational institutions throughout the province. This directive warns that teachers and school administrators who fail to comply will face both disciplinary and legal consequences.
Issued on Friday by the Directorate of Education (Schools), the notification highlighted that despite previous bans, reports of corporal punishment and other degrading disciplinary methods continue to emerge from some schools. The directorate emphasized that such practices are illegal and detrimental to the physical, mental, and emotional health of children, contradicting the government’s child protection policies and the constitutional right to education.
The notification reaffirmed that corporal punishment is banned under the Balochistan Child Protection Act of 2016, the Balochistan Compulsory Education Act of 2014, Article 25-A of Pakistan’s Constitution, and international commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
It clarified that corporal punishment encompasses actions such as slapping, beating, caning, or hitting students with hands or objects; pulling hair or ears; pushing, kicking, pinching; forcing children into painful or humiliating postures; as well as verbal abuse, intimidation, or any degrading treatment causing physical or psychological harm.
All school heads, district education officers, private school owners, and teaching staff have been instructed to ensure no student is subjected to such treatment. Schools are required to implement positive, child-friendly disciplinary approaches, promptly investigate and report any complaints, conduct awareness sessions for teachers, parents, and students on children’s rights and non-violent discipline, and maintain registers to document and address allegations of abuse or corporal punishment.
The notification made clear that violations will be met with serious repercussions, including disciplinary action under the Balochistan Government Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules for public employees. Private institutions breaching the ban could face penalties under the Balochistan Private Educational Institutions (Registration, Regulation and Promotion) Act, 2022, and associated regulations.
To ensure enforcement, district education officers, divisional directors, and private school associations have been tasked with overseeing the implementation of this directive across the province.
