Ex-education minister defends principal in school bullying case

Former Education Minister Dr. Aishath Ali defended Salahuddin School’s principal Nasiha Idrees on Thursday, following a flurry of social media posts blaming the principal for failure to take appropriate action in a bullying case.

Education Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that they are investigating allegations a first grader at Salahuddin – a government school located in Hulhumale’ Phase II – was bullied and physically harmed.

Some have taken to social media to share pictures of the school’s principal and the student’s class teacher – who they accuse of negligence in the case.

In a post on Facebook on Thursday morning, Aishath said that the Nasiha Idrees she knows is one of the best principals in the Maldivian education system at present.

“She has always been committed to ensuring the safety of students. I am sure she will not knowingly tolerate harm to any child,” she wrote.

Aishath said that she hopes for all schools to become safe havens for every student, free from any form of bullying or harm.

Several parents of the school’s students have also taken to social media to defend Nasiha, who they insist is sincere and dedicated to her students, and would not allow for any form of bullying at her school.

The bullying case has sparked deep public concern, creating a debate on questions of safety in schools.

The schoolboy’s family told Sun that he had a patch of his hair and his uniform shorts cut when he returned home from school on Tuesday.

They said that he had been subjected to bullying for over five months, and that they reported it to the school, which failed to take proper action.