Two Yangon teachers were allegedly caught on camera beating a special needs student.
In the disturbing footage, the 10-year-old boy who has autism is shown being grabbed, put in a headlock and kicked at New World Therapeutic Training Centre in North Dagon township.
Khant Khant Win Shwe, the mother of the boy, opened a lawsuit under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law at the township police station on October 31.
The mother said she discovered two staff members were abusing her son when she checked CCTV footage from the centre after finding a bruise on his face on October 30.
Khant Khant Win Shwe told 7Day Daily the teachers have been granted bail and the management of the training centre has promised to sack them.
"I was very shocked. I can't describe how I felt when I knew," she said in a video interview by media Than Lwin Khet below that includes clips of the incident.
The teachers brought her son to a CCTV blind spot in the corner where they abused him more, she said.
"I spend a lot of money and time to give my son the education he needs, and to see this happening, I begin to blame myself for sending him there."
Facebook users called for the teachers and the school to be punished after footage of the incident was posted on December 2.
"Not only should they be fired, the principals of this school should also be held responsible," wrote one Facebook user.
The training centre could not be reached for comment.
Myanmar Autism Association deputy chairperson Ma Nang told Myanmar Mix that “as the mother of an autistic child I am appalled” by the footage.
More cooperation between training centres and the association will help prevent similar incidents, she said.
“Teachers should be very patient with these children, some of them don’t even have the cognitive ability to understand they’re being abused,” she added.
“Of course [the two teachers] should be punished, no questions about it. This is a matter I will entrust upon the authorities.”
