Principal's naked mischief

JAKARTA (JP): An elementary school principal in the remote Bengkalis island, Riau, amused himself by ordering "nasty students" to run around a soccer field stark naked.

The unusual punishment has angered the students' parents who demanded last week that the education ministry sack or remove him for humiliating their children.

Antara reported yesterday that the incident happened late last month when the principal of state-run SD 019 Lubuk Gaung made six pupils strip off and run around the school's field for coming late and making noises during classes.

Only four of them complied with the headmaster's order. They ran naked to the amusement of headmaster, teachers and students who were out to jeer and boo the "naughty boys".

The two pupils who refused to strip off had their ears pulled and squeezed, the report said.

Bengkalis education and culture office chief Hanafiah said 84 parents, who considered the punishment "cruel and uneducative" came to his office and filed a complaint.

"I deeply regret the principal's act and am thinking of appropriate punitive action that may be taken against him," he said.

The parents told Hanafiah that the six students were so embarrassed they refused to return to school. (pan)