The incident occurred on the afternoon of 25/3 at Phu Hung A Primary School in Luong The Tran commune, Ca Mau province. It stemmed from an ongoing conflict between two third-grade students, Thanh and Hang, who had previously fought during playtime.

To resolve an earlier dispute, Hang's mother had met with Thanh's family and a teacher. During that initial meeting, an unusual "agreement" was reached: if Thanh were to hit Hang again, Hang's mother would administer 10 lashes to Thanh as a deterrent. Thanh's grandmother and Thanh reportedly consented to this arrangement.

On the afternoon of 25/3, the two children again clashed over a play area. After classes, Hang's mother learned of the new altercation. She then called Thanh's grandmother to the school, where, in front of Thanh's grandmother and teachers, she demanded Thanh uphold the "agreement" and proceeded to strike the student 10 times with a rod. The school reported that staff and students present were unable to intervene or notify the school board in time.

Thanh's family expressed strong displeasure over the incident. The homeroom teacher visited Thanh's home on the evening of 25/3 to provide support. The school confirmed Thanh's health is stable and has instructed Hang's parent to refrain from any further physical harm to students. The school is also facilitating mediation and education for both children through the homeroom teacher.

The Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee yesterday ordered local authorities to investigate the incident, clarify individual responsibilities, and ensure appropriate action is taken. The directive also called for a review of safety measures across schools in the province.

An Minh

*Student names have been changed.