A first-grade teacher who was jailed for four months for beating a six-year-old pupil with a blackboard ruler and then escaped prison by paying a fine has become a divisive figure at St Martin’s Convent Primary School in Harare.
The stuttering student, whose name cannot be revealed because the attack was abuse of a minor, was beaten because he failed to answer questions during the lesson.
Audrey Bayana was the teacher who attacked the student and was found guilty of using a chalkboard ruler to hit the child.
The student was injured in his right eye, but has since recovered.
A Mbare judge sentenced Bayana to four months in prison or a US$200 fine.
She paid the fine and was released.
Her conviction sparked no reaction or action from the school authorities even though it was linked to a severe assault on a very young pupil.
This has angered some parents who told H-Metro that this gives the impression that such attacks on children are allowed at school even though they are considered illegal by the state.
Some parents said that the teacher’s imprisonment if she did not pay the fine highlights the seriousness of the crime and why this should have prompted the school authorities to act.
“Piana was found guilty of assaulting a first grader and the school took no action on it.
“She has returned to school and is part of the teachers who are encouraging the school authorities to take parents, who fail to pay fees, to debt collectors.
One parent, who chose to remain anonymous due to fears his children would be targeted, said: “This is unfair, and we urge the school authorities to put their house in order before we take any action.”
H-Metro was told that at the time of the incident, Bayana and the school principal attempted to contact the child’s mother for both parties to resolve the issue without involving authorities such as the police.
However, the child’s mother was so angry at the way her child was beaten that she rejected all calls for the parties to resolve the case without involving the police.
She insisted that the law must take its course and reported the matter to the police. h metro
