Busia teacher under probe over claims of caning pupil

 

A primary school teacher is on the spot after he reportedly assaulted a Standard Three pupil.

Mr Juvenalis Ogola, a senior teacher at St Joseph Girls Primary School, is said to have caned the eight-year-old on Thursday last week, inflicting serious injuries on her.

When The Standard visited the girl in Marachi Estate yesterday, she was limping. She was forced to stay away from school due to injuries.

She said trouble started when she went to submit her English assignment. The girl claimed Mr Ogola ordered her to lie on the table. "The teacher asked some girls to hold me on the table as he beat me up," the girl said.

She added: "I tried to explain to him I was only submitting my assignment then I go to class but he did not listen and continued beating me up."

On Monday, the girl was taken to Busia County Referral Hospital for examination. X-ray results showed she suffered soft-tissue injuries. Doctors said the injuries would require at least two weeks to heal.

Her parents are demanding justice. Her mother said her daughter was fine when she left for school only for her to come back in the evening limping and in pain.

"I asked her what had happened and she said she had been assaulted. When we went to find out why she was beaten up, the teacher harshly dismissed us," the woman said.

School head teacher Floridah Malaki said she had been informed about the incident and investigations were going on. "I can't deny the incident happened. We are carrying out internal investigations because the teacher who has been accused has denied it," Malaki said.

County Teachers Service Commission director Ibrahim Rugut said he has dispatched a team of officers to investigate the matter. The teacher faces interdiction if found guilty.