In a tragic incident, Henry Okonkwo, a pupil at Landmark International School in Mgbakwu, Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, has died after being beaten into a coma by a teacher.
The boy passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, according to reports.
The PUNCH previously reported that Faith Nwonye, a 30-year-old teacher at the school, was arrested for allegedly beating the eight-year-
old pupil into a coma on Monday.
Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, had summoned Nwonye to explain the circumstances leading to the child's brutalisation on May 20, 2024.
Expressing sorrow over the incident, Chuma-Udeh noted that the child's chances of survival were only 20 percent, based on medical reports. She condemned the school's illegal operation, describing the incident as criminal and warning that those involved faced severe consequences.
Both the teacher and the school's proprietor, Mrs. Promise Ilo, were summoned, leading to the temporary closure of the school and the commencement of an investigation.
The teacher admitted to flogging the child but claimed the punishment was not as severe as reported.
The matter was handed over to the police for investigation. Meanwhile, the child remained in the intensive care unit of the hospital until he passed away early Wednesday.
On Thursday, the commissioner expressed her grief over the boy’s death on her verified Facebook page, highlighting his lost potential and aspirations.
“He was a boy like any other, with hopes and aspirations. He went to school for a better future but met a gruesome death at the hands of the people who were supposed to help him achieve his life ambition. A quack teacher in an illegal school bludgeoned him to death. We mourn a life nipped in the bud! We mourn Henry Chukwuemeka Okonkwo! We mourn and we seek justice,” she wrote.
