KARACHI, May 12: The Sindh Education Department has appointed an inquiry officer to look into the alleged incident of torturing of a student at a private school in Korangi. A source in the department said that parents of the affected student of class IV reported to the education officials that some physical education instructor had beaten their ward, age about 9, so severely that one of his legs was affected. Some photographs have also been shown in support of the claim, said the source, adding that the leg of the student had probably been fractured.

When contacted the Additional Secretary Dr Mehboob Ali Sheikh said that the Deputy Director of Private Schools, Zamir Khuso, had been appointed inquiry officer and he would furnish a report within two day.

If the complaint of the parent is confirmed by the inquiry officer, action would be taken against the private school under Sindh Private Education Institution (Regulation and Control) Amendment Act 2003.

To another question, Dr Sheikh said that after a report of corporal punishment of a student at a privately managed school in Malir, inquiry was conducted and school in question was warned to avert such punishment in future.

In the case of the latest incident of alleged corporal punishment at Korangi school, the EDO (Schools) of the City Government, Aijaz Ali Khan, said that report about the problem was made at his office as well, but in view of the fact that private schools’ affairs were now being monitored by the Sindh Education Department the aggrieved parents were asked and guided to approach to the provincial education department.

When asked about the Malir school case, the EDO, however, said that his office had received a cheque pertaining to expense of the child treatment from the school in question only on Thursday, which would now be passed on to parents of the student.

Since the school management agreed to pay the compensation and had already terminated the head of the school, who had reportedly lashed badly on the back of the six-year-old student, there left little room for any further action and finally the registration of the Malir school has been restored, he added.