Lebanese nursery under fire for refusing Sudanese toddler

Dubai: An African toddler was refused enrolment into a nursery in Kesrwan, Lebanon, because of his dark skin tone.

The nursery head defended its actions by claiming that other parents had threatened to take their children out of the nursery if the Sudanese boy was enrolled.

On Twitter, users criticised the nursery.

“This child’s skin tone is lighter than your dark hearts.” one user posted.

Another user, Rafaa Al Quhtani, tweeted: “Waiting on the day where racism towards Africans finally become[s] prohibited.”

A Sudanese user tweeted: “Ignorance cultivates racism. Those with inferiority complexes think they are superior because they are white.”

The Ministry of Health immediately issued a warning letter to the nursery saying it violated basic rules of Human Rights including Law 422/200 on child protection.

The ministry contacted the toddler’s father saying the nursery would now admit his child, but the man declined the offer saying that he put his child in a different nursery.

The ministry also plans to carry out an awareness campaign at the nursery to educate the parents who protested against the toddler’s enrolment.

Hams Saleh is an interns at Gulf News