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Teacher kicks student for talking during prayer

DUBAI — A school teacher in a private school in Sharjah was arrested a few days ago for allegedly kicking and severely injuring a young student for talking to his classmates during the school's prayer session.

The school teacher, however, was later released on bail and the police complaint against him withdrawn by the parents of the student — as a goodwill gesture during the holy month of Ramadan.

The ten-year-old Grade VI Emirati student, who suffered the injuries last Wednesday, is at present using a pair of crutches to walk around and is extremely shaken and upset by the incident.

The young boy who joined the school only this year claimed, "I was kicked and roughed up by my teacher for talking during the prayer session. I still have severe pain in my left leg and have to use crutches to walk around. For the time being, I cannot go to school and will have to wait for about four weeks to recover fully. I am very unhappy with my teacher for hurting me and do not want to go back to school."

His mother alleged that when she came to pick up her son from school on Wednesday, she was told he had been taken to a hospital as he had hurt himself on campus.

"The school authorities didn't tell me the truth. Instead, I was told that he had fallen down and hurt himself. However, when I met my son, he said he had been beaten by the teacher," she claimed.

"When I demanded an explanation from the school teacher concerned the next day, the teacher said he was speaking with his peers and not paying attention to the payers, held at the end of the day."

The parents initially filed a complaint with the Sharjah Police which led to the arrest of the school teacher.

Police officials from Sharjah's Al Gharb Police Station told Khaleej Times, "The teacher was arrested two days ago after the parents had filed a complaint. But yesterday, the complaint was withdrawn and the school teacher released on bail. However, we have referred the case to the Public Prosecution."

A source from the Sharjah Educational Zone said the matter was being investigated. Meanwhile, the mother said she has already sought the transfer of her two children studying in the school and is now looking for admission to another school.