Breakdown of Disciplinary Measures Used in Bullying Cases by Offender History, Age and Gender, and Rate of Repeat Offences in Schools

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Alex Yeo, Potong Pasir

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education arising from the Comprehensive Action Review against Bullying (a) what guidelines will schools apply to requests by parents of offenders or victims of bullying for a change of class or a transfer of school; and (b) how will schools assess whether restorative actions such as relationship repair are successful before allowing affected students to continue in the same learning environment.

To ask the Minister for Education arising from the Comprehensive Action Review against Bullying (a) whether the reasons why caning remains a suitable and effective punishment for upper primary and older boys can be shared; and (b) how will the Ministry ensure that schools carry out caning with the necessary safeguards in place.

To ask the Minister for Education arising from the Comprehensive Action Review against Bullying (a) whether schools will be empowered to lodge cyber bullying reports for or against students to the Online Safety Commission; and (b) how will schools deal with cyber bullying content amongst students that may not reach the definitional threshold of online harms in the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr David Hoe, Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education as part of the new disciplinary framework against bullying (a) what safeguards will ensure that the framework is applied fairly in cases involving students with special educational needs or mental well-being issues; and (b) how will the Ministry ensure that suspensions, whether served in school or at home, are structured to be meaningful, supervised and restorative for the student.

To ask the Minister for Education with the planned expansion of bullying reporting channels, including a new online platform (a) whether the Ministry can clarify who will manage and follow up on reports made through such channels; and (b) how will the Ministry ensure that the platform design is (i) age-appropriate (ii) easy for students to use and (iii) able to support timely intervention.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Yip Hon Weng, Yio Chu Kang

Question

To ask the Minister for Education with the introduction of the new online bullying reporting channel (a) how will the Ministry ensure that serious cases receive timely and adequate attention amid increased reporting volumes; and (b) whether triage frameworks, reporting guidelines or safeguards will be implemented to prioritise cases while recognising that perceptions of severity may differ among students and parents.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Punggol GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether studies have been conducted to assess if the current resources set aside for counselling is sufficient in schools to deal with school bullying; and (b) whether school counsellors are sufficiently equipped to deal with the fast-evolving challenges of online bullying.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis, Sengkang GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education (a) how will the Ministry assess whether the recommendations against bullying are effective; (b) what specific indicators and evaluation methodology will the Ministry use to assess the effectiveness and consistency of schools’ implementation of the measures; and (c) what recourse students and parents will have should they disagree with schools’ findings and decisions.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) what specific criteria and processes govern how a student's special educational needs (SEN) or mental health condition is assessed and weighed when determining disciplinary measures, including the decision to impose caning for a student offender; and (b) what structured support and follow-up protocols are in place for victims of bullying or misconduct who have SEN or mental health vulnerabilities.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan, Pioneer

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether child psychology experts were consulted in the decision to raise punitive measures for student misconduct and bullying; and (b) whether victim-centered rehabilitative or restorative measures will be explored before punishment.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) what is the mental health impact of schools caning boys as young as nine; (b) whether there is scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of caning in reducing student misconduct and bullying; (c) whether there are longitudinal studies on effects of school caning on children’s cognitive development and behavioural problems in adulthood; and (d) what is the reason for applying caning only to boys.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Dr Neo Kok Beng, Nominated Member of Parliament

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education whether more restorative measures have been considered instead of punitive choices like caning in relation to the recent anti-bullying recommendations to be implemented by the Ministry in 2027.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) what are the root causes of bullying in Singapore schools; (b) how the recent measures to tackle the bullying issue address the root causes of bullying; and (c) whether the Ministry has studied the potential impact that bullying has on both bullies and victims in the areas of shame, guilt, and identity formation.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) what evidence-based studies have been referenced in relation to the recent completed review on school bullying; and (b) whether any studies were conducted on successful international bullying prevention programmes implemented around the world.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Dr Charlene Chen, Tampines GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education in respect of serious bullying cases, how the Ministry ensures that disciplinary actions are commensurate with the harm caused, including whether restorative measures such as structured apologies or rehabilitative programmes are used to provide accountability and closure for victims.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) what protocols are in place to ensure transparency in the handling of serious bullying cases; (b) what information is shared with victims’ parents, such as the evidence considered and reasons for the disciplinary outcomes; and (c) whether more consistent disclosure practices across schools will be considered.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) what support is provided to victims of bullying who require care beyond school counselling, including referral pathways for clinical intervention; and (b) how does the Ministry safeguard students with mental health conditions or Special Educational Needs from being targeted by bullies.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Dr Wan Rizal, Jalan Besar GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education how the new anti-bullying measures will help teachers and school staff handle bullying cases promptly and fairly without adding unsustainable workload to frontline staff.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) what common indicators will the Ministry use to assess the effectiveness of the new anti-bullying measures; and (b) whether the Ministry will track reporting rates, case response timelines, recurrence rates and student perceptions of safety across schools.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Elysa Chen, Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education in view that standardised disciplinary measures will be implemented across all schools by 2027, (a) what outcomes framework will the Ministry use to evaluate whether the new measures reduce bullying incidence rates; and (b) whether the School Safety Scorecard or equivalent data will be published publicly to enable accountability.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Comprehensive Action Review against Bullying considered evidence on the role of family adversity and trauma as upstream drivers of both bullying perpetration and victimisation; and (b) if so, whether there will be special consideration for restorative approaches to be included within the framework at an appropriate time.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye, Radin Mas

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) how the Ministry will ensure consistent implementation of the new anti-bullying guidelines across all schools; and (b) what audit or oversight mechanisms will be put in place to monitor compliance and hold schools accountable for lapses.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Xie Yao Quan, Jurong Central

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education (a) what performance indicators will the Ministry use to monitor the effectiveness of its overall framework and specific measures to address bullying in schools; and (b) whether the Ministry plans to make the reports on these indicators public.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry takes an evidence-informed approach to designing its overall framework and specific measures to address bullying in schools; (b) if so, what evidence has the Ministry taken on board to date in designing its overall framework and specific measures; and (c) whether it will consider convening a panel of experts to strengthen this evidence-informed approach.

To ask the Minister for Education what are the Ministry's considerations for not setting up a centralised anti-bullying unit to support schools in investigating the most egregious cases of bullying and following up with disciplinary and rehabilitative actions, so as to avoid overburdening teachers.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms He Ting Ru, Sengkang GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education under the new guidelines to deal with bullying in schools, (a) how do schools decide on the appropriate disciplinary response out of the measures given; and (b) what specific safeguards are in place to ensure that responses are proportionate, student-centred, and applied consistently across schools.

To ask the Minister for Education in relation to bullying in schools, (a) whether the Ministry tracks longitudinal outcomes such as the proportion of students who reoffend after a first serious bullying incident; and (b) how it evaluates which combinations of punishment and rehabilitative support are most effective in preventing recurrence.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim, Sengkang GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) with regard to the standardised caning measures outlined in the Comprehensive Action Review Against Bullying, whether the distinctions in its application, including (i) between boys and girls and (ii) its commencement only from upper primary levels, are based on established research; and (b) if so, whether the Ministry can share the basis for these distinctions.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Sylvia Lim, Aljunied GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether there has been an increasing incidence of students creating and circulating AI-generated fake obscene images of fellow students in schools and educational institutions; and (b) whether the Ministry provides guidance on how such cases should be handled.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik, Sengkang GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry has conducted or relied on any studies evaluating the effectiveness of caning in reducing repeated bullying behaviour; and (b) what considerations inform its continued use, in light of international research linking corporal punishment to increased aggression and adverse long-term outcomes.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Hany Soh, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry requires schools to report bullying cases to the Ministry; and (b) what are the available channels for escalation or seeking further assistance should parents feel that their child’s school has not handled their report of bullying adequately.

To ask the Minister for Education what is the Ministry’s directive to schools on the appropriate circumstances to lodge a police report when a case of bullying is severe.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Darryl David, Ang Mo Kio GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether any studies have been done to show the mental and emotional impact of caning on children and youths; and (b) if so, what are the findings of these studies that have resulted in the Ministry continuing with caning as a form of discipline for boys and male youths.

To ask the Minister for Education in light of the recommendations from the Ministry’s Comprehensive Action Review Against Bullying (a) whether the Ministry will enhance measures to support the mental and emotional wellness of students to help them deal with hurtful behaviours and bullying; and (b) whether there are any plans to strengthen mental and emotional wellness education in schools' curricula.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Lee Hui Ying, Nee Soon GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education in view of the planned implementation of standardised disciplinary measures in managing student misconduct (a) what outcomes framework, baselines, and quantified impact measurements, such as incident rates, recurrence, and reporting rates, will be used to assess bullying; (b) what is the intended timeframe for tracking such data; and (c) how will student well-being be measured and validated.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Dr Hamid Razak, West Coast-Jurong West GRC

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education in respect of strengthening school-home-community partnerships to address bullying holistically (a) whether the Ministry will define standard roles and responsibilities for community partners; and (b) how the effectiveness of such partnerships in preventing and responding to bullying will be measured.

To ask the Minister for Education in light of the stricter disciplinary measures for serious bullying offences (a) whether guidelines will include structured rehabilitative and psychological support for student perpetrators; and (b) how will outcomes such as behavioural change, reintegration, and recurrence be monitored.

To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the enhanced reporting platforms for student well-being concerns regarding hurtful behaviours and bullying will be standardised across schools; and (b) how will the Ministry assess students’ sense of psychological safety and confidence in, and the accessibility of, these channels.

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan, Non-Constituency Member of Parliament

Questions

To ask the Minister for Education in each year from 2015 to 2025 (a) how many male students were caned in schools; (b) what were the categories of offences for which students were caned; and (c) of those caned, what proportion were subsequently involved in repeat disciplinary offences.

To ask the Minister for Education in each year from 2021 to 2025, for bullying-related disciplinary cases in schools (a) how many students received each type of disciplinary measure including (i) detention (ii) suspension (iii) caning and (iv) counselling, respectively, broken down by whether they were first-time, second-time or repeat offenders; and (b) what were the median age and gender breakdown of students in each category.

To ask the Minister for Education regarding the Comprehensive Action Review against Bullying (a) whether the Phase 1 literature review identified peer-reviewed evidence that caning reduces bullying recidivism; (b) which professionals consulted during the review had recommended including caning as part of standardised disciplinary measures for first-time offenders; and (c) what other specific findings, if any, from the stakeholder engagement process had informed this decision.

To ask the Minister for Education how does the standardisation of caning as a disciplinary measure for first-time offenders sit alongside the Comprehensive Action Review against Bullying’s stated objective of building a restorative school culture.

To ask the Minister for Education regarding the Comprehensive Action Review against Bullying (a) what specific counselling and restorative support must schools provide to students following the administration of disciplinary measures; (b) whether such support is mandatory or at schools’ discretion; and (c) what accountability mechanisms are in place to ensure this support is consistently delivered.

Combined Response

1. This question has been addressed by the Ministry of Education's answer to oral Parliamentary Question Nos 7 to 29 and written Parliamentary Question Nos 41 to 49 on 5 May 2026.