Not sure still got corporal punishment in school, but i believe one of the reasons that now so many ah bengs and ah lians around were due to students no longer respect teachers anymore. Touch a bit will kena complain, so most teachers boh cha the bad students, resulting in so many dropouts.
Last time when i still schooling, even gangster head also give a bit respect to discipline master. Now i not so sure from the stories i heard from my friend who is a teacher.