Schoolboy who assaulted teacher 'receiving care'

The education authorities held a case conference to discuss how best to address the problems of the nine-year-old boy who assaulted his teacher with a paper knife on Wednesday.

The boy has been suspended from his school, the San Ġwann primary, and is being monitored by the Educational Services Directorate.

The directorate said yesterday it would be doing its utmost to ensure the boy received the care and services needed so that he would not be a danger to his classmates or teachers.

The pupil, who had already been receiving help from a learning support assistant due to behavioural problems, also threatened his teacher with a pair of scissors, it was revealed yesterday.

On Thursday, he returned to school but as soon as he was seen in the grounds, the school administration persuaded him to leave quietly.

The directorate said that together with the school's administrators it was committed to ensuring that the school environment remained calm and problem-free.

It thanked the teacher and the learning support assistant as well as the school's administration for the professional way in which they had handled the situation.

The directorate noted that this was an isolated incident and thousands of children went to school daily without any difficulty or danger.