Students from Epping’s Al Siraat College claim being held for hours

THREE children claim they had to call police for help after being kept in a room at their Epping school for four hours because of an alleged dispute over school fees.

THREE children claim they had to call police for help after being kept in a room at their Epping school for four hours because of an alleged dispute over school fees.

Former student Zane Al-Mashalawi, 14, said he had to phone police for help after he and his two younger sisters (aged 12 and 10) were allegedly left in a room at Al Siraat College, without being told why, for four hours on August 17.

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But principal Fazeel Arain said the school had investigated the claims and denied any wrongdoing.

An investigation has been launched by the Victorian Regulations and Qualifications Authority.

The children’s father, Sam Mishare, said the cause of the problem was a disagreement with the college over fee payments.

Zane said the incident unfolded when school staff took him out of class and put him and his sisters in a room near the office.

Zane said having spent hours in the room, and after being told they were not allowed to leave, he called for help.

“I got a little bit scared and I felt like I wasn’t going to be let out anytime soon,” he said.

Zane said while he attempted to console his sisters, he felt “like a prisoner”.

He said when he called police a second time because he feared they weren’t coming a staff member filmed him on her phone.

Epping Senior Sergeant Matt Williams confirmed police attended and escorted the children home.

Mr Arain said the school had “zero tolerance” for any abusive behaviour towards its students.

“We have thoroughly investigated the claims and are confident it has no foundation,” he said. “We have co-operated with a separate inquiry by the school regulator and we are confident the inquiry will also confirm the claims have no foundation.”

Mr Arain declined to say why or if the children were kept in the room.

But Mr Mishare said the incident followed months of disagreements about the payment of school fees.

Mr Mishare said he was up to date with his children’s fees, a claim rejected by the school.

He said he had since taken his children out of the school.

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