JAKARTA: A school pupil in North Sumatra, Indonesia, was recently punished by being made to sit on the floor in class for failing to pay school fees.
The teacher penalised the Year Four pupil at Abdi Sukma School in Medan for being three months behind on fee payments, Kompas reported.
The pupil's mother, Kamelia, 38, expressed her dismay over the teacher's actions.
"Teachers are educated individuals, far more educated than me. At the very least, don't treat my child like an animal," she told TribunTangerang.com.
Kamelia said that her family is currently facing financial difficulties, relying solely on her husband, who works as a construction worker.
"I had planned to settle the fees last Wednesday using money from selling a mobile phone. But my child already complained about feeling embarrassed to go to school after being punished by having to study on the floor," she said.
Meanwhile, the school's headteacher, Juli Sari, said she was unaware of the class teacher's actions.
She added that the school has since apologised to the pupil's family.