A mother in Valelevu, Nasinu, has voiced her concerns after her Year 7 son was allegedly involved in a physical incident with a teacher at his primary school. The altercation occurred around 10 a.m. on a Friday, coinciding with preparations for the International Mother Language Day celebration.
Reports indicate that the boy was involved in a fight with another student when a teacher intervened. Eyewitnesses claim that this intervention led to the teacher allegedly assaulting the student in front of the school canteen. The child returned home displaying visible injuries, including a notable black eye, which alarmed his family. Canteen staff reportedly provided him with a cold juice bottle to reduce the swelling from the injury.
The situation has raised significant alarm among the parents, who were not informed about the incident until their son came home later that day. The mother expressed her frustration over the lack of communication from the school regarding her child’s injury, stating, “If an injury is sustained in school, the first point of contact should be the parents. Why were we not informed? When I went to ask for the head teacher’s contact, they couldn’t even provide a number. What if something had happened on his way home? I was not there.”
In light of the incident, the mother considered having her son file a police report, but the child felt traumatized and reluctant to proceed after reportedly being questioned about dishonesty by a police officer regarding the occurrence.
The Ministry of Education has stated that it is awaiting a formal report on the matter before determining any next steps. This incident underscores the urgent necessity for schools to improve communication with parents, ensuring transparency and safety for students. As investigations proceed, there is a collective hope that effective measures will be introduced to avert similar situations in the future, thereby enhancing the safety of the school environment for all children.