KOTA KINABALU: A teacher who was accused of caning his student 22 times using a dustpan handle in Lahad Datu is still allowed to resume duties.
Sabah Education Department director Mistirine Radin said the 38-year-old teacher has been released from police remand and can still continue teaching, until a court order states otherwise.
“We cannot stop him from going to work or suspend him if there is no court order,” she said when contacted on Tuesday (April 30).
On the latest development of the case, she declined to comment as the case is under police investigation.
The case came to light on Saturday (April 27), after the Form One student, who was allegedly caned, lodged a police report.
The student claimed that his class teacher caned him at about 11.30am on April 24 in front of other students in the classroom for being absent from school since April 22 without notifying the teacher.
Lahad Datu police chief ACP Nasir Mansor had earlier said initial investigations found that the boy had admitted to being absent, because he had followed his father to Tawau to watch a taekwondo competition without notifying the school.
He said following a medical examination, the victim was found to have sustained bruises and soft tissue injury.
