A 30-year-old teacher at Landmark School Mgbakwu in the Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Faith Nwonye, has been arrested for allegedly beating an eight-year-old pupil into coma.
The commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, informed journalists in her office on Monday that the state government had permanently shut down the school.
Chuma-Udeh revealed that she had summoned the school’s proprietor and Nwonye to explain the incident that led to the brutalization of the primary two pupil.
The commissioner clarified that the school was closed not only because of the incident but also due to its illegality.
“We received this unfortunate incident from an illegal school in Mgbakwu where a child was beaten to a coma over the weekend. On behalf of the State Government, we invited the proprietress of the illegal school as well as the teacher who purportedly beat the child.
“We’ve handed the matter to the police for further investigations, as we await Mr. Governor’s directives. Meanwhile, the school is closed down indefinitely because it’s not supposed to exist in the first instance. Any parent who is enrolling his/her child in an illegal school is doing so at his/her own peril.
“To the proprietors of private schools, anyone running an unapproved school in Anambra is a criminal. It’s a criminal offense to run an illegal school in the state.”
Chuma-Udeh expressed sadness over the development and lamented that the chances of the victim’s survival, currently in the hospital, were 20 per cent according to the medical doctor.
“Whether the school is legal or not, it’s criminal to beat a child. According to the doctor, the chances of survival of the child is 20%,” she stated.
She warned that perpetrators were doing so at their peril, noting that the teacher would be brought to book.
“As soon as the police are done, the teacher will face other institutions against child rights. She’s going to have the full wrath of the law brought upon her over her actions.
“Anambra state abhors violence to children, women, and any other person. It’s not part of this administration and Mr. Governor is against such.”
