The Impact of Excessive Punishments on Students

Every child has the right to a safe and comfortable learning environment. However, the harsh reality shows that violence in schools remains a serious problem. The recent case of a junior high school student who died after being subjected to physical punishment by their teacher is a stark reminder of the severe consequences of excessive punishment. Punishment, which should be a tool for education, instead ended in tragedy.

One of the goals of administering punishment is to provide emotional support. But what happens when that support turns into emotional destruction leading to death?

As we know, there are quite a few incidents involving teachers and students in schools related to this type of punishment. Recently, several news reports have highlighted the cruelty of punishments imposed by teachers on their students. Not just one, but multiple teachers in different schools have engaged in quite horrific actions against their students.

According to detikNews, "Because he did not memorize religious lesson material, a junior high school student in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, was punished by his teacher with 100 squat jumps. A week later, the 14-year-old student died." (Saturday, September 28, 2024, 10:27 WIB)

DetikSumut also reported that the Head of Public Relations for the North Sumatra Police, Kombes Hadi Wahyudi, stated that the incident began on Friday (September 20, 2024) afternoon. On Monday (September 23), the victim was taken to the Talun Kenas health center around 08:30 WIB. Then, around 18:30 WIB, the victim was brought to a midwife in Limau Mungkur Village, STM Hilir District. On Wednesday (September 25) evening, the victim was taken by his parents to the Mayen Pratama Clinic in Limau Mungkur. However, the clinic referred the victim to RSU Sembiring Deli Tua due to his worsening condition. Then, around 00:00 WIB, the victim arrived at RSU Sembiring. Tragically, on Thursday (September 26) morning, the victim was declared dead.

A big question arises: why impose such punishment just for not memorizing the names of the prophets in the Bible? There are many types of punishments that can be used for junior high school students. Additionally, not everyone has strong physical health. So, what led the teacher to impose such a severe punishment on a 14-year-old child?

After examining this serious case, it can be concluded that the teacher administered physical punishment. What are the consequences for the punished child? One of them is psychological trauma. Physical punishment leaves deep emotional scars on a child. This also violates children's human rights, as every child has the right to receive education that is safe and free from violence.

There are several alternative punishments that are better and can be applied at any time. One of them is to find the root of the problem. There may be factors causing the child to struggle with memorization. Don't compare punishments used on children in the past with those in modern times, as that is less effective and even very harmful to a child's mental health.

There are still many alternatives that can be used to administer punishment to children. Do not resort to violence, as it will affect the mental and psychological well-being of minors.