Senator sends inquiry to Preschool and School Education Ministry on child abuse cases in kindergartens

Citing concerns over incidents in both state and private preschools, the senator requested an explanation of the root causes of such violence and the measures being taken to prevent it.

The statement from the Senate’s press service recalled Article 26 of the Constitution, which states that no one may be subjected to torture, violence, or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as Article 78, which guarantees state protection of childhood.

"However, information circulating on social media indicates that incidents of violence against children are occurring in some preschool education institutions. Based on these facts, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science, Education, and Healthcare Bahrom Abdullayev has submitted an inquiry to the Minister of Preschool and School Education," the statement read.

The inquiry highlighted recent incidents of violence in some private preschool education institutions.

"In particular, it was revealed that caregivers at the private preschool education institution Tanzilandia in the Mirzo Ulugbek district of Tashkent subjected children to violent actions. Additionally, at the First Daycare private preschool in the Yunusabad district, a caregiver and an assistant tied a child to a chair with tape for refusing to eat," the Senate press service reported.

It was noted that the increasing number of such negative incidents indicates that the monitoring of education and care services, as well as the conditions provided in preschool education institutions — including private ones — is unsatisfactory.

"Currently, there are 31,139 private preschool education institutions and 6,919 state preschool education institutions operating across the country. Given this large number, no one can guarantee that similar unpleasant incidents will not occur elsewhere," the senator stated in the inquiry.

Earlier, evidence emerged that children were regularly beaten at the private kindergarten Tanzilandia in Mirzo Ulugbek district, Tashkent.

According to the information, one parent, noticing changes in their child's behavior, placed a recording device inside their toy before sending them to kindergarten. The eight-hour audio recording captured caregivers verbally abusing children with offensive words and physically assaulting them multiple times. The parents then approached the management of the educational institution.

On February 11, parents requested access to CCTV footage from the kindergarten’s director. The footage was shown in the presence of a preventive inspector. When parents attempted to record the video, the district officer stated that it was illegal and did not allow it.

Parents later reviewed the surveillance footage at the Internal Affairs Department, where it was revealed that caregivers were beating children in the gym, dressing rooms, and activity halls, while behaving calmly and politely in areas with CCTV monitoring accessible to parents.

According to the press service of the Tashkent City Internal Affairs Department, law enforcement agencies are currently conducting a pre-investigation inquiry. The case is under the department’s supervision, and further information will be provided upon completion of the investigation.

The Children's Ombudsman’s official response stated that a forensic medical examination had been ordered to determine whether bodily harm was inflicted on the children.

The preschool administration has terminated the employment contracts of three caregivers involved in the incident. The pre-investigation inquiry is ongoing, and additional information will be provided in due course, according to the Children's Ombudsman’s press service.