A school in Nigeria would be paying a N25 million (about US $69,500) damages for flogging that led to the blindness of a pupil.
The pupil, Destiny Kalu was five years old when the incident happened in 2011.
He was flogged because his parents had not paid his school fees.
Justice Yetunde Idowu of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, on Wednesday, 28th March, ordered the proprietress of Cendom International Nursery and Primary School, Olodi-Apapa, Uche Owen, to pay N25m as damages to Destiny as a result of that.
Destiny, through his father, Inyima Kalu, had in 2013 sued Owen and his class teacher, Uduak Sam, for inflicting severe injuries on his right eye through flogging over the non-payment of his school fee.
According to his statement of claim, on 20th June, 2011, Owen came to his classroom and flogged all the pupils who had yet to pay their school fees.
Destiny added that while being flogged, his right eye was covered in blood and he was left in tears for several hours unattended to.
EduCeleb.com earlier reported on the viral video of Success Adegor where she was sent home for owing some examination levy at her school in Delta State.
This incident adds to reasons why child protection advocates believe that children should not be punished over their parents’ inability to pay school fees.
