Cardinal Ranjith slams proposed bill to ban corporal punishment
October 10, 2025 11:56 am
His Eminence Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has stated that some laws of the Western world regarding the implementation of the proposed bill seeking to ban corporal punishment for children are completely unsuitable for Sri Lanka.
The Cardinal made this statement while participating in the 150th Jubilee Celebration Mass organized by the alumni and teachers to mark the 150th anniversary of St. John the Baptist College, Nagoda, Kandana.
The Cardinal pointed out that the punishing of children to guide them on the right path should be allowed and that not all the laws of the Western world should be imitated in Sri Lankan education.
Cardinal Ranjith further stated:
“This conflict between the child and the parents has created a rift, and how will the parents and teachers cope? If children misbehave in schools, the teacher can tell the child not to grow his hair that long and cut it. If that is said, the child can go to the police and complain that my teacher has caused me mental distress and the teacher can be arrested for saying this. That is wrong. We cannot accept this.”
He emphasized that what is considered appropriate for Western countries may not necessarily be suitable for Sri Lanka, noting that the nation possesses its own culture, system, and ethical values that must be respected.
The Cardinal further appealed to the education authorities not to proceed with such measures, cautioning that they could undermine the cultivation of devotion and respect that students should have towards their parents and teachers.
