Two out of 10 teenage students in Seoul City still face corporal punishment at school, despite the punishment ban adopted a few years ago, a report showed Monday.
According to report on student rights by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, about 19 percent of the surveyed students were found to have been physically punished in the past year.
The survey was conducted on some 21,000 students in the city last year.
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Middle schoolers reported the largest number of corporal punishment cases at about 31 percent, followed by high schoolers at 22.3 percent and elementary school students at about 15 percent.
By school types, private schools reported more cases, with 26.8 percent, compared to public schools, with 15.6 percent.
About 28 percent of the surveyed students responded that they had also experienced verbal assault or insulting remarks from faculty members.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education banned corporal punishment in November 2010 after public concerns rose over a series of serious injuries inflicted by teachers. The move later expanded to other municipalities such as North Jeolla Province.
The report’s results will be used as data to improve measures for the human rights of students, Seoul education authorities said.
By Lee Hyun-jeong (
rene@heraldcorp.com)
