Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) has issued a statement in response to the alleged abuse of an eight-year-old pupil after his parents decided to remove him from a privately owned school.
"ADEC will not accept any form of exploitation or maltreatment of students in Abu Dhabi schools and ADEC will be investigating all sides of this case, and will take appropriate action once a conclusion is reached," said Yousuf Al Sheriani, Education Advisor to the Director-General of ADEC, in a written statement to Gulf News.
After various complaints regarding Mohammad's mistreatment in the school, Majid Bushnaq, father of the Grade 4 student, along with a representative from the school, were asked to attend a meeting at the ADEC headquarters on Wednesday.
However, after the school was unable to attend, ADEC told Gulf News and Bushnaq through a written statement, that their meeting with the school had been postponed until next week.
Talks
When inquiring of the reasons for the school's inability to attend the meeting with ADEC, and comments on Bushnaq's complaints regarding his son's mistreatment by teachers, the school's headmaster, Jean Kassis, said: "I cannot comment on any complaints regarding our students, but I can say that we encourage parents to discuss their situation with our school administration. We are currently in talks with ADEC about the matter."
When Bushnaq attempted to approach Mohammad's school teachers earlier, he says he was denied access.
Bushnaq has also asked the ADEC to discipline the school headmaster.
"A headmaster's obligations are to take our comments as parents seriously, and to investigate all our complaints and concerns, not just brush them aside."
He has informed the ADEC he will keep Mohammad at home.
"I have no faith in the school to look after Mohammad's well-being, and I have taken the decision to keep my son at home until I find a caring school that will look after him."
— with inputs from Iman Sherif, Staff Reporter
