Damai Secondary School - Uniform and Discipline

Uniform and Discipline

Damai students wear an all-white uniform: white shirt (with dark school tie), white trousers and maroon coloured skirt for girls, white shoes and socks. Boys in secondary 1 and secondary 2 must wear short trousers, graduating to long trousers in secondary 3.

The disciplinary system is based on a demerit points system for minor offences. Students earn 5 demerit points each time their shirt is not tucked in or they are not wearing their tie or for being late to class, eating in class, etc. If they reach 10 points they must serve a detention. At 20 points there is another detention, and the student's parents are informed. Students who reach 30 demerit points in one term are suspended for a number of days (girls) or spanked on the bottom with a big cane (boys) and their conduct is marked "Fair".

Detentions are also given out for latecoming. The detention lasts 2 to 4 hours and must be served the following day. Students who fail to turn up for the allotted detention receive suspension (girls) or spanking (boys).

Every week there is an attire check to make sure the pupils are wearing their uniform properly and their hair is not dyed or too long.

Boys who are caught smoking in school uniform are disciplined with two smacks of the cane and are also referred to the health authority to attend smoking cessation clinic.

For other serious offences such as fighting or vandalism, the student, if male, must receive a "public caning" whereby he is brought in front of an assembly of the full student body either in the hall or on the parade square. Normally a public caning at Damai involves several boys punished in turn. The spanking ceremony is performed by the school's Discipline Master, with a minimum of two strokes across the buttocks for each offender. This serves as a deterrent and it is often only necessary to hold one or two public canings each term.

In 1997, then-principal James Ong told the Los Angeles Times that caning was administered at Damai for offences including fighting or disrespecting a teacher. "We do not seek permission from parents", he said. "We will cane first and inform you later. Parents must trust us to give the child a good education. We have the welfare of the children in mind."