MOE has done exceptionally well at academics. So well, in fact, that this state of affairs has justified sacrificing other aspects of our children’s development – social-emotional learning, empathy, creativity, outdoor play, mental well-being, etc.

So when bullying, vaping, or even child suicides happen, schools often do not really know what to do. It seems that MOE does not have child development experts (clinical psychologists or paediatricians) on staff to advise them. This leads to contradictions:

• A 9-year-old boy caned for bullying in an MOE school, while in the same breath MOE talks about “restorative approaches”.
• Meanwhile, a 15-year-old with far more serious behavioural issues, referred to MSF services, may receive intervention from psychologists who recognise that physical punishment of the perpetrator will only breed more violence. (And where the victim is unlikely to be publicly blamed.)

Because hurt children.. hurt children.

Children lash out when they lack consistent connection, attention, and guidance from loving adults, when they are subject to harsh discipline, relentless academic pressure, or neglect.

The science is clear – physical punishment may lead to fear-based compliance in the short-run, but it doesn’t work in the long run. Violence begets violence. That’s why MSF rightly rejects foster or adoptive parents who intend to use it.

So why do our public services take such different approaches with children?

• MSF and MOH usually follow evidence-based practice. But MSF’s mandate mostly ends after preschool, except for the margins (child protection, juvenile justice, children in institutional care), and MOH mostly only deals with acute cases in hospitals.
• MOE oversees almost all children for 10–16 years of their lives, yet often sticks to policies that contradict what child psychology tells us, whether it’s about caning, 40 students in a classroom, or their claim that the PSLE “builds resilience”, because they do not have child development experts advising them.

Do we really think that the 9 year old boy who was caned will now become respectful and empathetic and never bully again?

Do we really think the victim can heal without changing schools?

Has this case been handled with child well-being as the ultimate aim, or something else?

It’s time to make child well-being a national priority – not just in words, but in policies, practices, and leadership.