Police and the education ministry are investigating reports that pupils at Lale Youth International school in Hulhumale are being subjected to physical abuse, including by the school’s principal.
A concerned parent spoke to Minivan News about the abuse her 13 year old son was suffering.
“He would come home and tell me about the beatings. He told me it depended how angry the principal was – sometimes a leather belt was used.
“To discipline a child is one thing. I totally agree with that. But using physical force is not acceptable,” she said.
Another source linked with the school claimed the allegations were true.
” The principal and assistant principal of the school have been physically violent with boys in grades six, seven and eight,” the source said.
“[The violence] has only been towards the boys, but they have done it in front of the girls as well. Just recently a pupil was held by the neck and put up against the wall. Many pupils went home and told their parents they were so scared they nearly wet themselves.”
The principal of Lale Youth International School told Minivan News “there is no need to comment on this right now.”
The assistant principal has since gone home to Turkmenistan.
Deputy minister of education Abdulla Nazeer was unable to confirm the reports “as we have no solid evidence”, but said the ministry has “sent a supervision team and we have now submitted their report to the police.”
“We have been getting complaints and the ministry is concerned about the children. But it is important not to assume anything. Both sides have rights, and we must wait for the police to investigate,” he said.
Police spokesperson Ahmed Shiyam confirmed police were conducting an investigation at the school.
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