Punishment not part of education, only suitable for animal training: Deputy Minister

By Mangala Pavithrani

Colombo, October 3 (Daily Mirror) - Punishment is not part of the learning process, describing it as suitable only for farm animals like sheep, horses and cattle, Health and Mass Media Deputy Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijeyamuni said.

Addressing a recent event, Dr. Wijeyamuni explained that education is about understanding the world and shaping the human brain scientifically. He highlighted the difference between training animals and teaching children.

“When training horses, you reward correct actions and punish mistakes. But teaching humans is entirely different. Children often approach tasks more creatively than the teacher, and punishment is not fundamental to education. It is only relevant where animals are trained,” he said.

The Deputy Minister added that research shows punishment is incompatible with effective education. He urged teachers not to confine themselves to the syllabus but to nurture and enhance children’s creativity wherever possible.