On Tuesday, Basmalla Osama, a 9-year-old fourth grader in Taranis El-Arab Primary School in the city of El-Senbellawein in the Nile Delta, went into a coma that was triggered by a brain haemorrhage and remains in critical condition in the Mansoura Emergency University hospital.

The child lost conciousness after her teacher beat her with a wooden stick on her head for answering a quiz question incorrectly, according to 11 eyewitness classmates from students who were interviewed by the prosecution.

The Public Prosecution had remanded the accused into custody for four days pending investigation shortly after the incident.

The Ministry of Education also suspended the teacher for three months pending the end of investigations.

According to the Egyptian penal code, teachers who beat students causing permanent injuries could receive from three to 25 years jail sentences depending on the damage they cause to the victim.