The father of a fifth-grade student filed a complaint regarding, as he claims, a slap that his daughter received from a teacher on January 30, 2026, believing that the child's rights to protection from violence in an educational institution were violated.
In his complaint, he stated that the girl experienced stress after the incident, began to fear going to class, and suffered health consequences, which is why she did not come to school for a while. He pointed out that he filed a criminal complaint against the teacher with the competent prosecutor's office, informed the school principal, the Ministry of Education, the Educational Inspectorate, and the Center for Social Work about the case, and that the school, despite urgent requests, did not take adequate measures to protect the child.
The Education Inspectorate announced that an inspection was carried out on February 6, 2026, during which the records of the school authorities and the teacher's statement were reviewed.
"The teacher stated in her statement that she clumsily tried to direct the student's attention by touching her during class, and that there were no grounds for initiating administrative measures within the jurisdiction of the inspection," the statement states.
The proceedings determined that the teacher had contact with the student, which caused the girl to feel hurt and insecure, but that the school, upon receiving the report, took steps to establish the facts and protect the child's rights.
"The school took actions and measures to investigate the allegations, interviews were conducted with the child and parents, cooperation was established with the Center for Social Work, and a procedure was initiated to determine the teacher's responsibility," states the Ombudsman's opinion, signed by the Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms. Snezana Mijuskovic.
The school's ethics committee supported the principal's decision to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the teacher, which will determine all the facts and circumstances of the incident.
The documentation also states that the girl had previously been exempted from physical education classes due to a head injury, which further increased her parents' concerns for her health and safety.
The Ombudsman pointed out that the teacher's actions, although, as she stated, she had no intention of harming the child, demonstrate the need for additional education of teaching staff and improvement of work methods.
"Continuous education of educators is needed to strengthen their competences for implementing interactive teaching and adequately motivating children," the opinion emphasizes.
The importance of cooperation between family and school was also emphasized, with the assessment that in this case, communication between parents and teachers was insufficient, and that school mediation should have been considered in order to overcome misunderstandings.
"According to the school, the girl returned to classes after a few days and stated that the situation had stabilized, while an individual support plan was being developed," the opinion reads.
The Protector recommended that the school work further with parents and the student through counseling, improve cooperation between parents and class teachers, consider implementing mediation, and, in cooperation with the Institute for Education, provide additional training for teachers.
The school is obliged to submit a report on the measures taken and the implementation of recommendations within 30 days.
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