简体中文
China’s Ministry of Education and Beijing’s Municipal Education Commission have urged authorities to tighten regulations covering the preschool education sector and to toughen supervision over staff education and management following reports of child abuse at a kindergarten in the capital.
Members of staff at a private kindergarten in Beijing’s Chaoyang District have been accused of child abuse, amid allegations that children in their care were pricked with needles and fed unidentified medication.
On Wednesday afternoon, at least 10 parents told police that they had found pin pricks on their children’s legs, arms and bottoms, according to China Central Television. In addition, some parents found that their children were given white pills before taking afternoon naps.
RYB Education New World Kindergarten is under police investigation for alleged child abuse.
The news has grabbed a lot of attention nationwide, and comes not long after another child abuse scandal in Shanghai caused outrage among parents across China.
Local police have since obtained surveillance camera footage, and a further investigation is underway. Three teachers have been suspended from duty at RYB Education New World Kindergarten, a member of staff from the district education committee told local media.
A police investigation is underway at the kindergarten.
The kindergarten at the center of the police investigation is part of the RYB Education preschool education chain, which is based in Beijing and listed on the New York Stock Exchange. RYB Education operates more than 1,300 day care centers and nearly 500 kindergartens in 300 cities across China, according to its website.
On Friday, the company released a statement acknowledging the case. "We
apologize for the disturbance this event has brought to parents and society. We are working with police to conduct a further investigation, and will stay in touch with relative parties until the authorities announce the final results of their investigation."
The company claimed that it does not tolerate any form of child abuse or criminal activity, but it also stated that the New World Kindergarten has filed its own complaints to police regarding individuals delivering false accusations.
Public statement by RYB Education.
As of Thursday the kindergarten was still open, but few children showed up for class. Crowds of parents waited at the school’s gate for an explanation.
"I just want to know why my child was pricked with a needle, and what was injected," one parent told China National Radio.
Parents outside RYB Education's kindergarten.
Another parent said her child told her that everything is fine but she was very worried. "Please tell us the truth and don’t spread rumors on the Internet. It’s neither good for the kindergarten nor for our kids."
The district government stepped in with its own comments on Thursday.
"The government prohibits all forms of behavior that may harm a child’s physical or mental health," Chaoyang authorities announced on WeChat. "We have acknowledged the case, and once verified, those responsible shall be investigated and dealt with in accordance with the law."
(CGTN)