Many educators have said Azizan’s action was justified because disciplinary problems have become a major issue in schools, but Yasmin says abusing children is not a solution.

“If from the beginning a child’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation is acknowledged, respected and honoured, then the child would naturally gravitate towards good,” she told FMT.

“If for any reason a child’s beginning is less than it should be, leading him or her to act out, become enraged and exhibit delinquent behaviours, then physical or emotional abuse in order to rectify the situation and behaviour is definitely not helping.”

She said not many would bother to ask children what they want or to explain the situations they find themselves in and then allow them to make informed decisions.

“It is a shame because children have such a beautiful mindset with simple yet endearing solutions to many problems that involve them,” she said.

“The key to our future success lies in responsibly supporting the power of children.”

Azizan, who teaches at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Semarak in Nilai, was charged in the Seremban Magistrate’s Court on Oct 31 with voluntarily causing hurt to an 11-year-old pupil on April 6.

Last Tuesday, the court ruled for a discharge not amounting to acquittal.

Parent Action Group for Education (Page) chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim agreed with Yasmin, saying that many people had ignored the child when talking about the case.

“The child should be the focus in this matter,” she said. “If it’s true that he had a record of disciplinary problems, people should be asking what made him end up like that.”

Another matter for concern, she said, was the pressure he was facing now.

“He has to deal with the negative attention focused on him after what had happened.

“Will he be able to pick himself up and continue going to school like normal?

“What will happen when school reopens? Will he be able to face the teacher?”