This was the reminder of the Department of Education (DepEd) to all school heads and teachers nationwide who might have been challenged to inflict cruel penalty to schoolchildren for their misdeeds.

"These children have been entrusted to us by their parents, for us to look after and educate. When we coerce them and abuse them, we are no longer contributing to their development. Then we fail in our jobs and we become incompetent to teach and nurture these children," said DepEd spokesman and Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs Camilo Montessa.

Montessa advised teachers to dismiss the conventional style of disciplining students, adding that there are better and more effective ways of dealing with children other than coercion.

He also explained that although DepEd Order No. 92 issued in 1992 allow teachers "to impose appropriate and reasonable disciplinary measures in case of minor offenses and infractions," this does not permit the use of cruelty, abuse, or unusual punishment.

The DepEd threatened to close schools found guilty of tolerating or promoting child abuse and jail abusive teachers.

Citing Article 7, Section 11 of Republic Act (RA) 7610, also known as the anti-child abuse act, it said "all establishments and enterprises which promote or facilitate acts of abuse shall be immediately closed and their authority or license to operate cancelled, without prejudice to the owner thereof being prosecuted under said Act."

The warning was issued amid reports of child cruelty involving teachers. Recently, a Grade 2 pupil of the Silangan Elementary School in Bicutan, Taguig City died after she was forced to eat pencil shavings by her teacher.

Aside from the isolated physical abuse case in Taguig, Montessa said they have also been getting anecdotal reports of sexual abuse in schools. "We’d like to send out the message that we have no tolerance for this."

DepEd came up with a hotline number 6361663 and a DTxT action center (type DEPED FDBK <name> <message> and send to 2622) to allow concerned persons to report incidents of child abuse directly to the DepEd.

It has also declared to implement reforms in the recruitment of public school teachers this year with emphasis on their behavior or psychological capacity.