Belize: Education and Training Act 2010

Read the Act here.

Extracts from Belize Education and Training Act 2010 on corporal punishment

Index

Part XI Schooling

52. Use of reasonable force not corporal punishment

Interpretation

Corporal punishment" refers to anything done to a child for the purpose of punishing that child (whether or not there are other reasons for doing it) which, apart from any justification, would constitute battery; "reasonable force" is the minimum force necessary to prevent a pupil from physically harming himself or others, seriously damaging property or prejudicing maintenance of good order, but used in a manner which attempts to preserve the dignity of all concerned and justifiable given the circumstances of a particular incident and the degree of force used with respect to the age, sex, physical strength, size, understanding, medical conditions and any special education needs of a student;

50. (2) School authorities shall ensure that pupils are free at school from physical, sexual or other forms of harassment, from intimidation and corporal punishment, and from exposure to drugs, pornography and other forms of morally, mentally or physically harmful activities.

51. (4) In accordance with subsection (2) of this section, nothing in the statement of general principles and measures or measures for regulating the conduct of students shall authorise anything to be done in relation to a student which constitutes harassment, intimidation, the administering of corporal punishment or any other actions harmful to a student.

52. The use of reasonable force shall not be deemed corporal punishment for reasons that include averting

(a) an immediate danger of personal injury to, or an immediate danger to the property of any person, including the student himself;

(b) the disruption of good order and discipline at the school or among any students receiving education at the school, whether during a teaching session or otherwise;

(c) the commission of any offence (or, for a student under the age of criminal responsibility, what would be an offence for an older student)

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Scope: 
Date: 
Thursday, June 9, 2011 (All day)
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