The parents of an East Coast Demerara (ECD) primary school pupil who was flogged severely by a teacher at the school last month are mulling taking legal action as they expressed dissatisfaction at the manner in which the issue is being handled.
Reports are that the pupil and his parents met regional education officials yesterday and were told that the teacher was issued a warning by the Teaching Service Commis-sion (TSC) since it was a first offence committed by her. It was noted that the teacher resumed duties yesterday at the school but the parents are upset that they were being kept in the dark as regards the matter.
The child’s mother told Stabroek News yesterday that she met education officials yesterday and was told that the teacher would return to work today. She said the teacher and a group of parents of the pupils of her class visited the Region Four Education Office at Triumph, ECD after which she was issued the warning. She said the parents who accompanied the teacher did so to give her support and the education officer took that into consideration. She said the teacher also maintained that her son was at fault even though other children have reported otherwise.
“So now it’s the teacher who is being sheltered. What happened to my son; he will remain traumatized because I know my son,” the mother said. The woman said her son has shown a marked change in his attitude towards school and according to her, had the teacher been removed to another school, she would have felt satisfied.
‘That teacher chucked my young son who is writing the Grade Six exams, into a room and beat him on his bare skin with a bamboo whip. I am wondering …what will happen to other students,’ she asked. The woman said her son’s class teacher has been counselling her son during school hours and she was very grateful for the teacher’s efforts. The woman said that she may move to the courts since she felt she was unfairly treated by the Education Ministry, while her son remains traumatized by the incident.
The student confided in his parents a few days after the incident last month that he was beaten about his body by the 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, had told Stabroek News that she had spoken to the mother of the child and heard of the allegation against the teacher. She said the teacher at the centre of the matter was sent on administrative leave.
