In an incident that exudes the most extreme method of corporal punishment, a Bulawayo teacher was recently arrested for hitting the mouth of a Grade 3 pupil against a desk resulting in the child losing a tooth and three other lower frontal teeth becoming loose after he failed to solve a Maths problem.
The horribly disturbing incident occurred at Queen Elizabeth Adventist Primary School.
It is reported that during a Maths class session, the teacher, Sanele Khumalo, was enraged after the pupil who cannot be named for ethical reasons, failed to solve a long division sum.
Khumalo who is now facing assault charges, was reportedly relieved of his duties after the incident.
Narrating the shocking occurrence to B-Metro, the boy’s mother said as a parent, she felt frustrated, saddened and disappointed.
“I sent my son to Queen Elizabeth Adventist Primary School, a Christian school with faith and hope that he will be safe and be treated in kindness. I thought he would be safe from corporal punishment but sadly he suffered a permanent injury that has robbed him of his teeth.
She decided to take this bold move after the school failed to help her with paying the bills.
She said there were also attempts by the school to force her to withdraw the matter but she refused, saying the assault on her son was serious and could not be condoned.
According to a report which was compiled by the school’s director Ellen Mfumu, in a fit of rage, Khumalo allegedly hit the pupil against the desk resulting in him sustaining a broken tooth.
She (Mfumu) however, declined comment on the incident saying she was not at liberty to speak to the Press. Iharare
