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 a coma.
The commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh told journalists in her office on Monday that the school has been permanently shut down by the state government.
Chuma-Udeh disclosed further that she had summoned the school’s proprietor and Nwonye to explain the incident that led to the brutalisation of the primary two pupils.
The commissioner explained that the school was not only closed based on the ugly incident but as a result of its illegality.
She said, “We received this unfortunate incident from an illegal school in Mgbakwu that 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 offence to run an illegal school in the state.”
She, however, expressed sadness over the development while lamenting that the chances of the victim’s survival currently in admission to 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 b brought to book.
She added, “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.”
