(ECNS) -- A new regulation issued by the local government of Qingdao City, East China's Shandong Province, says that teachers can criticize or appropriately punish students who negatively affect education in primary or middle schools, causing confusion among teachers and quetions from experts.
Schools are required to disclose such punishments, according to the new regulation that will take effect on March 20.
It's the first time education authorities have said explicitly that teachers can punish students, said Li Xin, a director at the Law School of the Capital Normal University College of Political Science and Law. Li added that the education authority should clarify the methods and scope of the discipline.
Teachers cannot practice any physical punishments on their students, according to the Teachers' Law, Li said. There should be details to distinguish between punishment and discipline.
"Students have different physical and mental characteristics at different ages," Li said. "The means of disciplining should be different according to their age."
A teacher surnamed Li told the Beijing News that teachers cannot punish students, adding that the rule may have psychological effects on disobedient students who behaved inappropriately. However, the rule did not make clear how teachers can discipline students, which makes it hard to carry out, Li added.
Staff members with the Qingdao education authority said the local government will hold a news conference in March to provide further explanation on the regulation, Beijing News reported.
