Banned practices: Boy loses eye to corporal punishment
Short-tempered teacher attacked a student with a stick, doctors unsure of recovery.
Short-tempered teacher attacked a student with a stick, doctors unsure of recovery. PHOTO: FILE
ABBOTABAD:
Another student fell prey to unchecked corporal punishment in educational institutions and lost an eye after a teacher allegedly hit him with a stick in a village of Havelian, police and hospital sources told The Express Tribune on Thursday.
However, the police have not registered the case yet as they are waiting for the medical report, said Aurangzeb, the father of the victim.
Eleven-year-old Rizwan Ahmed is a sixth grade student at Urfa Model Public School in Malkaan village, Havelian. Rizwan spoke to the media from his hospital bed, saying he was solving his science exam two days ago when he mistakenly drew the wrong diagram.
“My teacher, Yasir, was checking my paper when he got angry at my mistake,” said Rizwan. The short-tempered teacher started hitting him on the head with a stick and ended up hitting Rizwan’s right eye, which started bleeding. The student was sent home by Yasir, after he washed the injured eye with water, instead of being taken to the hospital.
“My teacher warned me of more punishment if I dared to discuss the matter with my family,” said Rizwan. He added that he decided not to share his ordeal with his parents. But it was difficult for him to keep the matter secret.
“I pressed him to disclose what happened as he was intermittently vomiting and rubbing his right eye,” said Aurangzeb. When Rizwan finally narrated his ordeal, he was first taken to a doctor in the village, who referred him to an eye specialist in the District Headquarters Hospital. Doctor’s there started treatment, but Rizwan could not see from the damaged eye.
Eye ward in-charge Dr Anwarul Haq confirmed the damage to Rizwan’s right eye was due to a beating. He said the eye had developed cataract, and it was premature to say whether his eyesight could be restored as his retina was also affected.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan District Coordinator Madni Ehjaz Jadoon condemned the incident. He said the government has banned corporal punishment and defiance of the law was not only exposing children to harm, but also contributing towards increasing the amount of out-of-school children.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2013.
Another student fell prey to unchecked corporal punishment in educational institutions and lost an eye after a teacher allegedly hit him with a stick in a village of Havelian, police and hospital sources told The Express Tribune on Thursday.
However, the police have not registered the case yet as they are waiting for the medical report, said Aurangzeb, the father of the victim.
Eleven-year-old Rizwan Ahmed is a sixth grade student at Urfa Model Public School in Malkaan village, Havelian. Rizwan spoke to the media from his hospital bed, saying he was solving his science exam two days ago when he mistakenly drew the wrong diagram.
“My teacher, Yasir, was checking my paper when he got angry at my mistake,” said Rizwan. The short-tempered teacher started hitting him on the head with a stick and ended up hitting Rizwan’s right eye, which started bleeding. The student was sent home by Yasir, after he washed the injured eye with water, instead of being taken to the hospital.
“My teacher warned me of more punishment if I dared to discuss the matter with my family,” said Rizwan. He added that he decided not to share his ordeal with his parents. But it was difficult for him to keep the matter secret.
“I pressed him to disclose what happened as he was intermittently vomiting and rubbing his right eye,” said Aurangzeb. When Rizwan finally narrated his ordeal, he was first taken to a doctor in the village, who referred him to an eye specialist in the District Headquarters Hospital. Doctor’s there started treatment, but Rizwan could not see from the damaged eye.
Eye ward in-charge Dr Anwarul Haq confirmed the damage to Rizwan’s right eye was due to a beating. He said the eye had developed cataract, and it was premature to say whether his eyesight could be restored as his retina was also affected.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan District Coordinator Madni Ehjaz Jadoon condemned the incident. He said the government has banned corporal punishment and defiance of the law was not only exposing children to harm, but also contributing towards increasing the amount of out-of-school children.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2013.