Lessons in thuggery

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Depok | Jakarta | Fri, February 22 2013, 5:32 PM

As the national exams approach, Putra Japari, a third grader at SMP Dwiguna junior high in Depok, has been reluctant to go to school.

Why? Because he is bruised and battered after being beaten up by four of his teachers.

Putra was absent from school on Friday after he disclosed to his mother that he was hit on the head, kicked on his legs and beaten on his face with a book. One of the teachers held him, while the three others whaled into him.

Why? Because he came to school in sandals.

Yoyoh, Putra's mother, explained her son complained about pains on his legs, hands and head after being attacked by the teachers at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday.

“Initially he complained about the pain on his bruised legs. During the night he suffered from the pain in his hands and head. It turned out there were a lot of bruises there,” Yoyoh said on Friday.

“Initially I thought it was simply the naughtiness of my son by going to school wearing sandals. But after finding that he has been assaulted by four teachers, I cannot accept it,” said Yoyoh, who had not reported the case to the police yet.

“I was in shock.... I can't accept such violent treatment,” said Yoyoh, adding that her son was still weak as of Friday.

The management of the SMP Dwiguna school was not willing to comment on the case, and are refusing to answer the phone. A security officer claimed that the headteacher was away and asked reporters to come back to the school on Saturday. (hhr)