The education authorities in the Yaguajay municipality, located in the province of Sancti Spíritus, have concluded their investigation into the alleged assault of a five-year-old child by a preschool teacher. The teacher has been penalized with a transfer to a different position under different working conditions for a period of one year.
This decision by the Yaguajay General Directorate of Education came after the child's family moved to Havana and escalated the investigation to higher authorities, who validated the complaint and demanded a disciplinary action from the Municipal Directorate of Yaguajay.
Asiel Carvallo González, the director general of Education in the area, stated that the initial municipal commission, which included specialists from the Center for Guidance and Diagnosis (CDO), education sector executives, community neighbors, police officers, and social workers, conducted a thorough review of the case. He mentioned that techniques such as surveys and interviews with the child's family, school staff, and students revealed that 90% of those interviewed acknowledged the teacher's professionalism and dedication to her job.
Local educational authorities reiterated that clinical examination of the child by specialists at the Joaquín Paneca Consuegra Hospital in Yaguajay found no physical evidence of the alleged assault. "There were no bruises or marks on the skin. However, the child's claim that the teacher hit him remains," emphasized Carvallo González.
Unsatisfied with the preliminary findings, the child's family moved him to the Center for the Protection of Children, Adolescents, and Youth (CPNNA) in Havana, where additional specialists validated the father's complaint. According to a report from the National Directorate of Early Childhood, accessed by Radio Sancti Spíritus, "it was considered that the child told the truth regarding the physical strike by the teacher," recommending that the municipal authority take appropriate disciplinary action.
The report, signed by María de los Ángeles Gallo Sánchez, national director of Early Childhood, also suggested that the parents improve their comprehensive care for the child to ensure his proper development, as his cognitive growth was found to be below his chronological age.
Back in Sancti Spíritus, local authorities decided the "administrative measure" of transferring the teacher for one year to another position with unspecified different working conditions. The director general of Education noted that the teacher was not subjected to more severe punishment due to her previously impeccable record in the education sector.
The decision has been communicated to the teacher, the child's family, the provincial Directorate of Education, and the Ministry of Education (MINED). Meanwhile, the family has opted to keep the child in Havana, where he is enrolled in a school and will complete his preschool year until September. He is expected to return to the same school where the incident occurred, Mariana Grajales Coello Primary School in the Jarahueca community of Yaguajay.
The allegations came to light earlier in May through a Facebook post by the child's aunt, which included a video of the child describing the incident. The post claimed that the child was struck with a wooden object, quickly going viral and generating thousands of reactions on social media.
Following the widespread attention, the teacher was temporarily removed from the school pending the outcome of the investigations, as previously stated by Andrei Armas Bravo, director general of Education in Sancti Spíritus province.
Key Questions About the Alleged Child Abuse Case in Sancti Spíritus
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers regarding the case of the preschool teacher accused of child abuse in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba.
What was the outcome of the investigation into the alleged child abuse?
The investigation concluded with the teacher being transferred to a different position with different working conditions for one year.
Why was the teacher not subjected to a harsher punishment?
The teacher was not given a harsher punishment due to her previously impeccable conduct and dedication in the education sector.
What evidence was found during the investigation?
Clinical examinations found no physical evidence of abuse. However, the child’s claims were considered valid by higher authorities.
Where will the child continue his education?
The child will continue his preschool education in Havana until September, after which he will return to the Mariana Grajales Coello Primary School in Yaguajay.