Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya, who also serves as Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, has clarified that the recent Penal Code amendment banning corporal punishment is not aimed at schools or teachers, but is a vital reform to protect all children across society.
Speaking on 27 September at a programme held at the Ministry of Education to brief national school principals, the Prime Minister stressed that the issue goes far beyond classrooms.
“This is not just about schools; it is about the physical and mental punishment inflicted on children,” she said. “This problem affects all children—those in probationary care, institutional care, abandoned children, and others. Many face abuse, sometimes at the hands of those responsible for their protection. This amendment is not targeting schools or teachers, but is a comprehensive measure concerning the punishment of children.”
Dr Amarasuriya said the law specifically addresses both physical punishment and mental abuse, with particular focus on children in institutional care, Police custody, and under probation.
She dismissed the notion that the amendment prevents discipline.
“We have not banned the maintenance of discipline,” she explained. “But if we as a society believe discipline can only be instilled by physically torturing or mentally breaking down children, we must have a serious discussion. If we think torture is essential for discipline, then we have much to reflect on.”
Calling for a national dialogue, she urged schools and communities to explore constructive approaches. “There are positive ways to discipline children without humiliating, torturing, or pressuring them. Let’s hold workshops and discuss these alternatives.”
The Prime Minister also linked the issue to a wider social crisis. “If you look at Police reports or visit hospitals, you will see that our country faces not only an economic crisis but multiple social crises. Violence has become the primary method of conflict resolution,” she observed.
She pointed to rising domestic violence and the worsening of university ragging, which she said has now become “unbearable.”
Dr Amarasuriya warned against normalising violence as a tool to resolve conflict. “If we have become a society that accepts violence as a solution, that is a grave and uncivilised situation,” she said, urging a shift towards a more humane and progressive approach.
