Student accuses teacher of violence

The accused has denied the charge.

PESHAWAR:

Despite the fact that a ban was imposed on corporal punishment before partition and only the school headmaster was given permission to punish student for misconduct, teachers continue to beat students, sometimes mercilessly.

In a recent incident, a student from Taru Jabba, Nowshera alleged that his schoolteacher beat him for being absent from school even though he had paid Rs20 as penalty.

Muhammad Salman, 12, a student of sixth grade at Government Middle Boys School told The Express Tribune that he absented himself from school on his mother’s request on December 23, a day before the winter vacation. He said when he went to school the next day, the teacher enquired about my absence. I told him but he beat me up, Salman alleged. The teacher has denied the charge and said Salman was lying to cover up his absence.

His brother Asif said Salman returned home complaining of pain and informed their mother. Salman was taken to a private hospital where doctors advised an appendix operation.

A jirga was also sent to the school, but the teacher was absent that day, said Zakiullah, a member of the tribal council.

When contacted, Dr Nadeem, who operated on Salman, informed The Express Tribune that it was an ordinary appendix operation. “This type of pain can occur any time, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2012.