The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) reportedly has launched a hotline for students, after several videos of teachers brutally punishing students in classrooms went viral on social media over the week.

The Saudi Ministry of Education was forced to launch a dedicated helpline number after a third video went viral within a week. [Watch video here]

The video in question, which prompted KSA to launch a dedicated helpline for students, shows a teacher thrashing a student in a classroom by hitting him on the head. 

On 16 October, a student video from a school in Al Ain contained a footage showing a laboratory assistant hitting a student. He was later terminated by Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec).

Two days before this, on 14 October another video had surfaced, following which the Saudi education ministry suspended a teacher from Ajman public school for corporal punishment.

On social media, the Arab online users have been divided over their views about the incident.

While many saw the actions of the teachers as a brutal assault, others opined that the student's bad behaviour must have prompted the teacher.

"I wonder what subject this teacher teaches in school. I have been whacked by my teachers in school but none of my teachers were so passionate about disciplining me in such horrendous manner," a social media user commented.

(Source: Gulf News)