Wednesday February 27, 2013

School headmaster apologises; pleads with family not to bring case to court

KUCHING: The cane-wielding headmaster, who traumatised a Primary Four pupil to the extent that she allegedly bled from her nose, has apologised to the 10-year-old girl’s family.

The headmaster, during a visit to the pupil’s house in Petra Jaya with an officer from the Education Department yesterday afternoon, also pleaded with the family to drop the case and not bring the matter to court.

“At this point, we have not made our decision yet,” the pupil’s 42-year-old mother told reporters later. The girl’s parents have, however, decided to move their daughter to another school after a police report was lodged against the headmaster at the Gita police station on Monday.

Recalling her nightmare to reporters at the police station on Monday, the pupil said that 41 of her classmates were also caned by the headmaster for allegedly making too much noise when they were left unattended in class at about 10am that day.

“I’m so scared to go back to school,” she cried, when reporters asked to see the cane marks on her right hand.

The angry mother added: “I know teachers need to discipline pupils but this is too much. The headmaster, who had just been transferred to the school sometime in January this year, is bringing his rotan (cane) around and caning pupils without remorse.”

Earlier yesterday, Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said the Education Department would investigate the case to get a clearer picture of what had happened.

“A report has been lodged with the police. Let the police carry out their investigation,” she said in an interview after a function.

News

Wednesday February 27, 2013

School headmaster apologises; pleads with family not to bring case to court