The Anambra Government said it has handed over a 30-year-old teacher to Police for allegedly beating an eight-year-old pupil to a coma at Landmark School, Mgbakwu, in Awka North Local Government Area of the state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, made this known to newsmen on Monday in Awka, after a meeting with the school’s proprietor and the concerned teacher, Ms. Faith Nwonye.
Nwonye was asked to explain what led to the brutalisation of the Primary 2 pupil.
Chuma-Udeh said the school had been permanently closed down, not only based on the incident, but as a result of its illegal operations.
“We received information over the weekend about the unfortunate incident that a child was beaten to a coma at an illegal school in Mgbakwu.
“It is sad that a teacher can brutalise a child like that. According to the medical doctor at the hospital where the child is currently on admission, the chances of survival is 20 per cent.
“We invited the proprietress of the illegal school as well as the teacher who purportedly beat the child to a coma. We have handed the matter to the Police for further investigations, as we await the governor’s directives.
“Meanwhile, the school is closed down indefinitely because it is not supposed to exist in the first instance,” she said.
The commissioner said it was a criminal offence to run a private school without registration or government approval.
She also warned parents against enrolling their children in unapproved schools.
“Any proprietor running unapproved school in Anambra is a criminal.
“Another thing is, whether the school is legal or not, it is criminal to brutalise a child.
“As soon as the Police is done with their investigation, the teacher will face the full wrath of the law on Cchild’s rights.
“Anambra State abhors violence against children, women and vulnerable persons. It is not part of this administration and Mr. Governor is against such,” Chuma-Udeh said. (NAN)
