A teacher accused six months ago of punishing an 11-year-old female student by making her strip at the Hun Sen Wat Thmey Primary School in Svay Rieng province was finally detained and is awaiting trial, authorities said yesterday.

Sor Ath, Romduol district deputy director of judicial affairs, said Duong Sinet, 43, was arrested on charges of sexual harassment on Saturday following the decision of Svay Rieng Provincial Court investigating judge Horm Meng Ser.

The family of victim Nan Sivmey filed their complaint on May 26 against “Sinet, who punished her by ordering another student to take off her skirt and underwear in a class occupied by more than 30 students because she incorrectly read a text”, according to Ath.

Sivmey’s family learned about the incident after their daughter refused to go to school due to feelings of shame over the incident and taunting from other classmates.

A court official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that during the interrogation Sinet admitted that he ordered a male student to undress Sivmey.

Ro Salin, spokesman for the Ministry of Education, Youths and Sports, called Sinet’s actions “immoral” and damaging to the reputation and dignity of teachers.

Pov Samoeun, the school’s director had initially transferred Sinet to another classroom when the allegations were first made public.

Sinet himself initially declined to pay a $500 settlement offer, and will now face criminal charges.