Seventh grader brutally beaten up by teacher in Haripur

Taslim Bibi allegedly slapped the minor, beat her with a stick

HARIPUR: A girl in Haripur has accused her teacher of subjecting her to severe corporal punishment, leaving several cuts and bruises on her body.

Sadia Bibi, a seventh grader at Government Girls Middle School in Paswal, and her father, Syed Matloob Shah, told journalists on Tuesday that the incident took place during class. “I was preparing to take notes during maths class when Taslim Bibi, the class teacher, shouted at me for not paying attention,” she said.

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Taslim Bibi allegedly slapped the minor several times and beat her with a stick, leaving bruises on the girl’s arms, hands and back.

Sadia came home and informed her father who immediately informed the media about the incident.

“I will also file a complaint with the district education officer in Haripur and request him to take action against the teacher,” Shah said. “The teacher has clearly violated government directives by brutally beating my daughter.”

Cycle of abuse

According to Section 33 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection Welfare Act, 2010, corporal punishment is strictly prohibited. However, corporal punishment remains a pressing concern for parents in K-P. Last week, a similar case was reported in Abbottabad. A student of class one at Government Girls Primary School in Choonakari complained that her teacher had brutally beaten her with a stick.

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Speaking to The Express Tribune, Dr Sahira Khan, a local psychologist, said corporal punishment instils fear in the victim’s mind.  “More often than not, victims react by exhibiting violent behaviour toward others,” she said.  According to Sahira, corporal punishment contributes toward anti-social behaviour and a high dropout rate among students.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2015.