There has been an increase in reports of teachers using corporal punishment in schools and a 16-year-old student had to be taken to the hospital because of an incident over the weekend.
It is alleged that the 36-year-old teacher hit the student using a torch at a boarding school in Tailevu and the student sustained some injuries.
Police say the teacher has been charged with one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.
He has been been released on bail and ordered not to interfere with witnesses.
Minister for Education, Premila Kumar says she understands it is not easy for teachers to teach in this day and age and some teachers are talking about corporal punishment.
She has stressed that teachers cannot do that and the Ministry does not encourage any teachers hitting children.
The Minister says teachers can still discipline students without hitting them and the teachers need to find creative ways of doing so.
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