Staff at state kindergartens are being vetted following an incident involving a 5-year-old girl

Staff at state kindergartens are being vetted following an incident involving a 5-year-old girl

A review of staff at state kindergartens across Uzbekistan has been launched following reports of sexual violence committed against a 5-year-old girl at a state-run kindergarten in the Uchkurgan district of the Namangan region.
The Ministry of Preschool and School Education has established a working group to investigate the situation and assess the professional suitability of the officials responsible.
According to the Ministry, legal action will be taken against staff members involved in the incident or those who demonstrated negligence in their duties. The employment contracts of kindergarten staff suspected of involvement in the incident have been terminated. The working group is currently vetting staff across all state preschool educational institutions.
As previously reported, a warehouse manager at a state kindergarten in the Namangan region raped a 5-year-old girl attending the facility. The suspect, K.M., was detained on September 12 and remanded in custody by the court. A preliminary investigation into the criminal case is ongoing.
According to the Social Protection Agency, the victim is receiving the necessary psychological, medical, social, and legal support. Support for the child's family is also continuing.