Karachi school's registration suspended over corporal punishment
Teacher had brutally beaten student and fractured his elbow
February 01, 2023
- School slapped with Rs25,000 fine.
- Victim suffered elbow fracture.
- School will pay treatment fees.
The registration of a private school in Korangi, Karachi, has been suspended after a female teacher was found guilty of brutally beating a student in class 7.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions Sindh (DIRPIS) said that the inquiry committee set up on January 31 and comprising of officers from DIRPIS had reached the conclusion that the teacher had committed the offence.
"The accusation of corporal punishment given to Abdul Rafay by her class teacher-Miss Hafsa resulting fractured on his elbow is correct,” the statement said, adding that this was a “serious violation” of condition '4(h)' of Form 'B' (Registration Certificate) as well as "Sindh Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Act 2016".
The complaint was lodged by Muhammad Rizwan, the victim’s father, who had claimed that his son’s teacher had meted out corporal punishment, which led to the child suffering injuries and a fractured elbow. Rizwan also filed a First Incident report (FIR) regarding the incident.
After the incident was first reported, Sindh Education and Culture Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah took notice of the incident and issued orders for an inquiry, which was completed earlier today and issued by Additional Director of Directorate of Private Institutions Sindh Prof Rafia Mallah.
The team visited the school Wednesday morning and found the complaint made by the student's father to be valid.
Taking to its Facebook page, DIRPIS stated: “The case of violence against a student in a private school in Korangi/Sindh Education Department's inquiry is complete. Sindh Education and Culture Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah took notice of the incident and issued orders for an inquiry.
“The registration of the private school will be suspended and the school will bear a fine of twenty-five thousand rupees and the medical expenses of the child. A three-member committee of the Directorate of Private Schools submitted a report after an inquiry.”
The statement also said, “in exercise of powers vested on me under Section-8 (1) Cancellation or suspension of certificate of registration) of "The Sindh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation & Control) Ordinance 2001 (Amended) Act-2003 and rules framed vide Notification No. SO(ACD-II)-9-6/2005, dated: 20th September, 2005, with immediate effect the undersigned being competent authority hereby suspend the Registration Certificate bearing No. DIR/PS/RECER/1-556/2022, dated: 01-09-2022, issued in favour of "Al-Seher Academy Secondary School, O-232, Korangi-03, Karachi" till further orders.”
Along with the cancellation of the school’s registration, DIRPIS also instructed the school to bear all expenditures to be incurred on the treatment of the student. The school had also been fined a sum of Rs25000.
