Kelera Ditaiki 
[File Photo]
A concerned mother of a Year 7 student has raised serious concerns following an alleged assault involving a teacher at a primary school in Valelevu, Nasinu.
The incident is alleged to have occurred around 10am on Friday while students were preparing to celebrate International Mother Language Day.
It is claimed the boy was involved in a fight with another student when a teacher intervened. Witnesses allege that the teacher assaulted the student in front of the school canteen.
The student reportedly sustained a black eye on his right side, which later turned purple by the time he arrived home.
The canteen lady is reported to have given the boy a cold bottle of juice to reduce the swelling.
The parents were not informed about the incident and only learned what had happened when the child returned home that afternoon.
“This is not good, if an injury is sustaining in school that first point of contact is parents. Why were we not informed and when I went to school to ask for the head teachers contact, they could not even provide any contact number. What if something had happened on his way home. I was not there.”
She questioned why the school did not contact her, especially since her son had sustained a visible injury that could have led to further complications.
The mother says she advised her son to lodge a police report. However, the child is reportedly traumatized and afraid after allegedly being accused by a police officer of lying about the incident.
The Ministry of Education is awaiting a formal report on the incident before proceeding with further investigations.
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