The Education Ministry has launched an investigation into a violent classroom assault at a private school in Uthai Thani, where a Matthayom 5 student allegedly attacked a female teacher after becoming upset over his exam results.
Education Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat said that while the case falls under the school’s authority as a private institution, she has directed the Office of the Private Education Commission (Opec) to closely monitor developments. The provincial education office has been tasked with coordinating directly with the school.
The student was suspended following the attack and later withdrew from the school. The teacher has since provided a statement to Nong Chang police.
Ms. Narumon said that once the facts are established, Opec secretary-general Monthon Phaksuwan will propose measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. She stressed that the ministry will not draw conclusions based solely on social media reports.
“Relevant agencies including the Office of the Basic Education Commission [Obec] must learn from this case to develop measures to prevent this kind of incident,” she said.
Deputy Education Minister Rinthipond Varinvatchararoj condemned the violence, saying it should never be tolerated, and expressed concern for both parties involved.
She urged a thorough investigation into possible underlying factors such as stress, academic pressure, or health issues, and called for a review of the exam and assessment system, as well as improved mental health support in schools.
She also recommended assigning psychologists to assist the teacher, the student, and their parents, while appealing to the media and public to respect their privacy.
Public outrage over the case grew after CCTV footage of the August 5 incident went viral. The video shows the student confronting the teacher during class to question his score of 18 out of 20 points.
The teacher explained that points were deducted because he failed to show the required calculation method, instead providing only the answers.
She suggested he seek other teachers’ opinions, which he did, later returning to say some believed it was up to individual judgment. Moments later, the student allegedly began punching and kicking her before hitting her with a chair, as shocked classmates looked on.
The teacher was treated for injuries, including a bruised eye and swelling on the left side of her head, and later filed a police complaint on August 8.
The student’s parents have since apologised to the teacher. However, some media outlets reported that while he was regarded as one of the top students in his class, he also had a history of violent behaviour, including slapping a female classmate and assaulting his father.
