7 more teachers punished in Taichung preschool abuse case

Taipei, Sept. 7 (CNA) Seven more teachers who mistreated children at a preschool in Taichung have been fined and banned from working in preschools for one to three years, the city's education bureau said Saturday.

Following a review of surveillance footage, it was determined that the teachers at the Education & Forest Kindergarten had pushed and dragged children in their care and also hit them on the head, the bureau said in a news release.

Among the teachers, one was banned from working in preschools for three years and fined NT$180,000 (US$5618), while two were banned for two years and fined NT$120,000 each and four were banned for one year and fined NT$60,000 each, according to the bureau.

The cases came to light in July when parents accused a different teacher at the preschool in Wuri District of abusing their children.

The first teacher accused of abuse was found to have hit children on their head and back with a tambourine, forcefully pulled their mattresses, dragged them, force-fed them and locked them in toilets, the bureau said.

The teacher was banned from working in preschools for four years and fined NT$240,000.

In a news release on Aug. 19, the bureau said it conducted an on-site inspection of the Education & Forest Kindergarten immediately upon receiving reports of abuse on July 29.

In addition to opening probes into other teachers at the school, the bureau ordered the Education & Forest Kindergarten to close for a year from Sept. 1.

The bureau said in the Saturday press release that the apparent widespread abuse indicated the kindergarten's management was negligent in its duties and staff training.

The Taichung government is assisting families of the 84 children enrolled in the kindergarten to transfer to other kindergartens in the district, the bureau said.

Meanwhile, psychological counseling for the mistreated children will be provided through the student counseling and consultation center under the bureau.