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Can a punishment teach?

Published

4 years ago

2021/11/14

by Goolbai Gunasekera

This seems a silly question since all punishments are supposed to ‘teach’ or to teach discipline at any rate. But does a school child always understand all this? Do present day punishments ensure that the student does not repeat the same little misdeed again?

They do not. I speak from experience when I say this. Let me explain. All schools have rules governing poor behaviour. But given the many areas of `sinning’ these days, modern schools are unable to foresee all the varied sins that students commit. Fifty years ago, falls from grace were minor affairs and did not have the undertones of real crime that is unfortunately found in schools nowadays.

School children 50 years ago had nothing of great value to steal. Perhaps a wristwatch. Perhaps a pen. But no one thought of stealing our shoes because they were all from shops like `Batas’,’ Majestic Boot Works’ and other local shoe shops. Ballet slippers were all from Union Boot Works. You can see what I mean. Rarely, if ever, did children have anything too special. No one was envious of the “haves.”

But now! Mobiles phones range from Rs. 4000/ to Rs. 100, 000/ and I am told such expensive items are the norm rather than the exception among Colombo’s students. Nike, Adidas and other Sport’s attire likewise. Nobody bothers about plain old wristwatches these days. Very few International School kids wear Bata. And nobody yearns for a Parker pen as I did all my school life.

I eventually got my first Parker pen from my Dearly Beloved at a time when he was still a hopeful Dearly Beloved. My parents had no intention of supplying me with expensive paraphernalia. My tennis racquet was a hand me down from my Mom’s University days and I managed to comfortably win the occasional match with it.

Today no serious tennis player would be seen dead with just one racquet. All hopeful champions have name brands in duplicate or triplicate which they twirl with panache and style. Parents go overboard with equipment.

Jealousy is natural. Now all good students, good sportsmen or good student performers seem to afford the earth. Those who cannot may resort to theft. In schools kids change their shoes for basketball games, for PE classes, for ballet lessons etc. Expensive equipment and gear are left lying all over the place.

One child lost two pairs of Nike Sports shoes within a fortnight. In spite of immediate searches, they were never found. Their cost? Rs. 25,000/ each pair. I asked the angry mother why she was teaching her son the wrong values by sending him to school with such expensive equipment. Her answer is worth repeating. You and I do not have the same values Mrs. G. I can afford such things and I see no reason not to buy them.”

Such skewed thinking only adds to the rate of theft. Young kids give in to feelings of envy and steal. Of course, if caught they face grave punishments. Suspension – or even expulsion for repeated offences.

An unfortunate problem now raises its ugly head. How do parents take the punishment of their light-fingered child? They take it in the most appalling fashion.

Far from correcting their child they blame the school for over-reacting. They whisk the young miscreant off to another school. The punishment has not taught anyone in that family anything. In fact, I have watched disbelievingly while one mother comforted her sobbing son (who continued to deny a proven fact) saying “Never mind Putha. Don’t cry. You don’t have to come back to this school”.

“Mrs. Bhanu,” I tried to reason. “Don’t take that attitude. Help him to realize he has done something disgraceful. Take him away if you wish but at least YOU must punish him in some way,” Of course nothing was done and the young `criminal’ will certainly steal again, albeit, elsewhere. The suspension was never felt by the arrogant young man as his parents refused to accept he had done anything wrong. So I cast around in my mind and recalled this story which proves that worthwhile correction can be given to junior wrongdoers.

A group of cousins were playing cricket on one of those spacious lawns commonly seen in Colombo 60- years ago. They were told to stop play by six pm. My friend, Rohini, the only girl in the group, was a real tomboy and her parents openly despaired of turning her into a lady. It was just her bad luck that one day the group continued playing till well after six pm and while making a run, Rohini tripped and hurt her ankle. She was immobilized for a week. Parents of the two youngsters took counsel, how best could they punish both children for breaking the rules and I still applaud their creativity in meting out punishment.

Rohini’s cousin, Nihal, had to give up every evening’s play that week and sit by Rohini’s bed and read to her for an hour. The books were of his father’s choosing. Both Rohini and Nihal benefitted from the chastisement in that the reading was interesting and actually taught them something. The cricket never carried on till after six again.

Now THERE is the sort punishment I wish I could use. Obviously, theft of shoes will not be cured by enforced reading. But I wonder. Cannot such civilized punishments somehow work in today’s atmosphere of junior violence? Perhaps we should seriously give it some thought.

(From Gunasekara’s recently published book The ‘Principal’ Factor. It was first published some years ago in Lanka Monthly Digest).

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Sun directly overhead Pomparippu, Anuradhapura, Mihinthale, Galenbindunuwewa, Agbopura and Serunuwara about 12:11 noon today (11)

Published

1 hour ago

2026/04/11

Priyan

On the apparent northward relative motion of the sun, it is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 05th to 15th of April in this year.

The nearest areas of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (11th) are Pomparippu, Anuradhapura, Mihinthale, Galenbindunuwewa, Agbopura and Serunuwara about 12:11 noon.

News

Opposition NCM against Energy Minister defeated

Published

4 hours ago

2026/04/11

Thilina Walpola

A no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody was defeated in Parliament yesterday by a majority of 104 votes.At the end of the debate, 49 members voted in favour of the motion, while 153 voted against it.

The motion, submitted to the Speaker on 19 March, was signed by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, SJB MPs, and other Opposition members.

It accused Minister Jayakody of failing to ensure the procurement of adequate and quality coal for the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai, alleging that such negligence amounted to a breach of ministerial responsibility over a critical national energy asset.

The motion also cited ongoing legal proceedings against the Minister, noting that he has been indicted by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and produced before the Colombo High Court under Section 70 of the Bribery Act, in connection with alleged acts of corruption during his tenure as Procurement Manager of the Ceylon Fertiliser Company Limited.

The motion read: Vote of No Confidence against Kumara Jayakody, Minister of Energy,— Whereas the Provision in Section 6 of the Part III of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament which states that: “The Members shall on all occasions act in accordance with the public trust entrusted with them and shall always behave with probity and integrity, including the use by them of any public resources.” has been violated; And whereas the following rules of conduct set out in Section 9 of the Part V of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament have prima facie been breached, namely:- “(a) to be conscience; (c) to act so as to merit the trust and respect of the people; (e) to hold themselves accountable for the conduct and duties for which they are responsible;” And whereas it is observed that the Minister has failed, in his capacity as a Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers, to discharge the fundamental duties incumbent upon him in accordance with Article 28 of the Constitution;

And whereas it is established that the Minister of Energy has failed to discharge his primary duty of ensuring the procurement of adequate and good quality coal for the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant;

And whereas such gross negligence in overseeing a critical national energy asset constitutes a fundamental breach of ministerial responsibility;

And whereas the Minister of Energy has failed to carry out the subjects and functions vested in him by the Notification of Gazette Extraordinary No. 2412/08 of 25th November 2024 of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, including taking necessary steps to reduce the losses at the institutional management level and technical damages that occur to the electricity generation and distribution system and reduction of costs for generating electricity and removal of uncertainties during generation;

And whereas the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption has filed formal indictments before the Colombo High Court against the incumbent Minister of Energy under Section 70 of the Bribery Act (Chapter 26) for the offence of “corruption” in connection with acts of corruption allegedly committed while he was serving as the Procurement Manager of the Lanka Fertilizer Company;

And whereas, in light of the foregoing, the Minister of Energy has irretrievably forfeited the confidence of Parliament and the people of Sri Lanka by causing losses to public finances, endangering national energy security, corruptly mishandling the procurement process, being subjected to active judicial proceedings for the offence of “corruption”, and betraying the Government’s own “anti-corruption mandate”, and his continued tenure as the Minister of Energy is contrary to the public interest, the rule of law, and the principles of good governance;

That this Parliament resolves that it has no confidence in the competence of Kumara Jayakody, Minister of Energy to function as a Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers any longer.”

by Saman Indrajith

News

Chinese Ambassador assures Lanka China will not allow a fuel crisis to develop here

Published

4 hours ago

2026/04/11

Thilina Walpola

Qi Zhenhong

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong yesterday assured that China would not allow a fuel crisis to arise in Sri Lanka, under any circumstances, reaffirming Beijing’s continued support to the country.

The Ambassador made these remarks addressing the media after attending a dry ration distribution programme for 350 low-income families at Sri Chandananda Buddhist College, at Asgiriya, in Kandy.

Highlighting the longstanding ties between the two countries, Ambassador Qi said China has consistently stood by Sri Lanka and remains ready to extend assistance whenever required.

Amid concerns over global energy disruptions, stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict, he noted that several countries are already facing difficulties, but stressed that China is prepared to support Sri Lanka at any time.

He said that any potential fuel shortage in Sri Lanka could be managed with the involvement of China’s Sinopec.

Reiterating Beijing’s commitment to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and development, the Envoy also expressed hope that the current ceasefire in the Middle East would hold, while assuring that China stands ready to respond to any future developments and assist Sri Lanka as needed.

By SK Samaranayake