The education ministry has compiled a document that provides specific examples to distinguish between actions against students that are permissible under school guidelines and corporal punishments prohibited by law.
The ministry notified schools and boards of education nationwide of the document Wednesday afternoon.
The document, the first of its kind to be compiled by the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, follows an incident in December in which an Osaka municipal school student killed himself after being physical punished by his sports club coach, who taught at the school.
The guidelines aim to thoroughly outlaw corporal punishment in school as prohibited under the School Education Law, and give examples of permissible disciplinary actions that can be taken on students.
For example, rebuking students, obliging them to stay in the classroom outside regular school hours, forcing them to remain standing, giving extra homework and obliging them to help with cleaning are permitted reprimands.
By giving such examples, the ministry hopes to prevent schools and teachers from becoming overcautious about disciplining students.
As examples of corporal punishments to be banned, the guideline cited slapping the body of disobedient students and throwing pens at them.
The guideline states that teachers are allowed to hold down a student's body if he or she is behaving violently.
The ministry also said club activities should be part of school education, but that teachers, officials and coaches "should not strive solely for achievements or results, and that club activities should be properly conducted without deviating from the course of educational activities."
The ministry criticized win-or-go-home attitudes in competitions and matches, which some observers believe has resulted in the wide practice of corporal punishment.
To eliminate such punishments from being meted out in school club activities, the guideline asks school principals and other officials concerned "not to leave everything up to club coaches, and to properly supervise their methods of instruction."
Source: Daily Yomiuri
I see some good points there. Good progress