‘Positive discipline’ in schools in the works

Amid a spate of reports about abusive teachers in the public schools, the Department of Education (DepEd) is firming up a comprehensive child protection policy that would seek to prevent all forms of abuse in the classroom through a more “positive” kind of discipline.

DepEd Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Alberto Muyot said the department had been working with international child welfare organizations, among them, Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund), Plan International and Save the Children, to draw up a policy that would prevent—not just react to—incidents of child abuse in schools.

“We do not have preventive measures that are effective,” Muyot admitted in an interview.

“The department is serious in holding responsible those who commit these kinds of acts. It would be better if we have measures that do not just respond after the fact, when the child had already been abused. It’s better that we have preventive measures,” he said.

Muyot said partner organizations were currently testing a draft prevention policy in pilot schools in Quezon City and Davao City. He said the policy hopefully could be introduced and practiced nationwide within the school year.

Initiated under the auspices of the Council for the Welfare of Children, the project aims to strengthen existing child protection measures in schools, among them, DepEd administrative guidelines on student discipline and Republic Act No. 7610, which penalizes child abuse.

Reports of abusive teachers have recently surfaced online and in media, some even captured on amateur video. Muyot said some of these cases were now under investigation.

Teachers found liable for abuse face suspension or dismissal. He said some who had been tagged in some cases had already resigned.

Asked how far teachers could go in terms of discipline, Muyot said: “For me, as long as there’s no physical, emotional, psychological or sexual abuse. If a student has done something wrong, he can be penalized by reprimand or expulsion.”

The official said that while teachers undergo training on the bounds of student discipline, measures in place still fall short.

“There has to be a change in the mindset on discipline. Our kind of discipline is mostly punitive but what we’re proposing is more positive discipline. The teachers should explain what the student has done wrong,” Muyot said.

Muyot noted that some children who experience abuse “become bullies when they grow up.”

He said educators should always remember the nature of children: “You expect 8-year-olds to be playful. You expect that 15-year-olds won’t be able to keep still in their seats.”

“We have to understand that we are in the business of taking care of children.” he added.