Training school accused of corporal punishment

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A district's authorities in the southeastern Chinese city of Nanchang have responded to accusations from some teenagers that staff at an institute that re-educates juvenile delinquents had used corporal punishment.

In an on-line statement, the government of Qingshanhu District said that its investigation of Yuzhang Academy after receiving complaints by some students found evidence of corporal punishment being carried out.

Qingshanhu district's official online statement. /CGTN Screenshot

Authorities promised that those responsible would be held accountable.

In the past week, some students who had been sent to the correctional facility posted screenshots online in which they narrated their experiences and described the harsh regulations.

/File Photo

"The most serious corporal punishment is the steel bar and the ruler which is made of iron. If you cuss in the institute, you will be hit 25 times with the ruler," @Kaikekaiwen posted on Weibo, claiming he had been sent to Yuzhang Academy to be re-educated after being found to be in a romantic relationship.

In some parts of China, many parents believe that children should concentrate on their studies to gain a university place and not be distracted by dating.

File Photo

Another student who was also punished said in her Weibo post that most parents who sent their children to Yuzhang Academy were tricked by staff and knew little about the actual situation their children were in.

According to the government statement, Yuzhang Academy is an institute which aims to cultivate teenagers’ moral character and in 2014 the institute was converted to a school to re-educate juvenile delinquents, such as Internet addicts and those who don’t like to study.

Screenshot of Yuzhang Academy's WeChat account

Yuzhang Academy’s official website is currently inaccessible but according to its official WeChat account, the institute prides itself on emphasizing traditional Chinese etiquette and psychological education.