School’s registration suspended after critical injury to student

The Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions Sindh (Dirpis) on Monday imposed a Rs75,000 fine and suspended the registration certificate of a school in Model Colony.

The inquiry committee comprising Dirpis officers in its report stated that a video had flashed on electronic media showing a child named Huzaifa, a student of grade 5 at the school situated in Model Colony severely injured with a piece of glass and admitted to an ICU.

Dirpis formed a committee to investigate the matter and visited the school to inquire into the facts. During the visit, the committee observed that "a piece of a glass bottle (Limka Soda) hit the neck of Huzaifa Islam during the opening of the bottle by one of the students of the school. Due to which he was injured severely, now [he is ] on 100% ventilator in the Civil Hospital.”

The report stated that the child was injured because of grave negligence of the school administration as he belonged to grade 5, but reached the stall that was arranged in the fun gala for the students of grades 6 to 10.

“Besides, Limka Soda was allowed in the fun gala by the administration of the school,” read the report. The directorate suspended the registration of the school and imposed a disciplinary fine amounting to Rs75,000 on it. The school was also told to bear all the expenditures to be incurred on the treatment as well as education of Huzaifa till matriculation.

Meanwhile, Huzaifa’s father in his statement said that he had lodged an FIR against the school and would also approach the court. He said the child's condition had worsened due to the delay in medical treatment. He asked that if the fun gala was for the senior children, how a fifth-grade student was able to go there from the junior section.