A Grade Six teacher of an East Coast Demerara primary school was yesterday sent on administrative leave after a student of the school was flogged severely during questioning about a fight.
According to reports, the male student of the school confided in his parents on Wednesday evening that he was beaten about his body by the class teacher with a bamboo whip. The child displayed several visible marks about his body and only reported the beating to his parents after he felt uncomfortable during the night.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand told Stabroek News last evening that she has since spoken to the mother of the child and heard of the allegation against the teacher. She said that the teacher at the centre of the matter has since been sent on administrative leave.
Manickchand said that the matter is being investigated by the Regional Education Department of Region Four to determine the details of the incident before further action can be taken on the matter.
An Education Ministry source noted yesterday that the student’s parents reported the matter to the Vigilance Police Station, while a medical report was submitted to the police station and the ministry.
A parent of another student who was beaten also visited the Education Department of Region Four to report their concerns and he also reported the matter to the Ministry of Human Services.
According to reports, the child, who will be sitting the National Grade Six Exams in another few months, related to his mother that he was standing in the corridor of the primary school on Wednesday when he observed two students involved in a fight. The child stated that during the fight, one of the boys accidentally hit him and he subsequently retaliated, after which he left the corridor for his classroom.
The child related that while he sat in the classroom, a teacher parted the two boys who were fighting and questioned the boys. It was while the boys were being questioned that the student in question was identified by another student as being part of the fight.
The boy related that he was called to the head teacher’s office and before he could have recounted to two female teachers what had transpired, one of the teachers grabbed him by the collar and pushed him into the principal’s office. The head teacher was not in school at the time. The child related that one of the teachers told him to lean over on a desk and she dealt him multiple lashes on his buttocks as well as his feet even as he cried out in pain and attempted to explain himself. The two boys who were involved in the fight were also beaten about their bodies by the teacher with the bamboo whip.
