Dialogue Fiji has condemned the recommendation to remove the corporal punishment ban from the Education Bill 2025.
The Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights proposed deleting Clause 73, arguing that the protection already exists in the Constitution.
Dialogue Fiji Executive Director Nilesh Lal called this reasoning “fundamentally flawed,” noting that constitutional rights must be operationalised through specific legislation to be enforceable.
“To argue a protection should be removed simply because it exists in the Constitution reflects a serious misunderstanding of how human rights are implemented.”
He warned that deleting the clause creates ambiguity and signals a “dangerous retreat” from child protection.
The organisation is also alarmed by public submissions supporting corporal punishment.
National data reveal that 81% of Fijian children aged 1–14 experience violent discipline, with one in five subjected to severe physical punishment.
Dialogue Fiji stressed that these statistics underscore the need for stronger legal safeguards and public education rather than weakening the law.
Modern education systems have moved toward trauma-informed discipline, recognising that violence undermines learning and perpetuates abuse.
