SHANGHAI – Police in Beijing are investigating claims of child abuse at a kindergarten operated by RYB Education Inc., a Chinese pre-school operator that listed in New York in September.
The official Xinhua news agency said late on Thursday that police were investigating allegations some teachers had abused infants at the school after parents raised concerns to police after finding unexplained needle marks on their children’s skin.
RYB did not respond immediately to requests for comment on Friday. The firm says on its website that it operates a network of over 1 300 directly owned and franchised play-and-learn centres and nearly 500 kindergartens in around 300 cities and towns around China.
A news report on China Central Television (CCTV) on Friday morning showed video of police and angry parents outside the school in Beijing’s Chaoyang district. Xinhua said some teachers had been suspended.
The RYB investigation comes after another kindergarten in Shanghai linked to giant online travel agent Ctrip.com sparked public anger earlier this month when videos emerged of teachers physically abusing and force-feeding infants.
Chinese education providers have been attracting major investment, while others have been looking for global listings, latching onto fast-rising demand from Chinese parents for high-end education services for their kids. (Reuters)
