A boarding school incident has escalated into a national scandal after it emerged that a 15-year-old pupil was repeatedly struck in the stomach by a monk serving as prefect at the St Anthony Franciscan Grammar School and Boarding House in Esztergom. The boy was reportedly dragged towards the showers with the assistance of another adult. Details of the assault, which took place months ago, have only now come to light. The pupil was ultimately forced to complete the school year by commuting up to four hours a day by train after his devout parents withdrew him from the institution.
Assault in the showers
According to a report by Telex, the incident occurred in October 2025. The boy, then 15 and residing in the boarding house, had been running through the corridor in his underwear, disturbing other pupils whom the prefect was preparing for a chemistry competition. After repeatedly instructing the boy to go and shower, the monk reportedly lost control when the pupil scribbled over equations written on the board.
With the help of another teacher, the boy was seized and taken towards the showers.
The child later said he initially believed it to be a joke. However, when he resisted by gripping the doorframe, he was struck three times in the stomach. Once inside the shower area, he was hit again. Doubling over in pain, he was then doused with water and left alone. He was eventually assisted by classmates.
Key details initially withheld
School leaders informed parents a few days later, but the family say the most serious elements were omitted. They understood only that the boy had been taken to the showers for disciplinary reasons and, at most, had been “rough-handled”.
The pupil himself initially defended the prefect, whom he had known for some time, and blamed himself for what had happened. As a result, the family did not fully grasp the severity of the incident for months.
Meanwhile, the case reached the school psychologist after another pupil reported the physical assault. The psychologist immediately alerted the child protection officer. The incident was recorded internally, the headteacher was informed, and the psychologist repeatedly warned that, under the law, a formal child protection referral might be required.
At that stage, however, the school dealt with the matter internally through an investigation and employment-related measures.
Turning point after pupil runs away
The case took a decisive turn in March 2026, when the boy ran away from Esztergom by train following what he described as a humiliating punishment during a physical education lesson. He then gave his mother a detailed account, stating that he had in fact been struck multiple times during the October incident.
His account aligned with what a classmate had earlier told the school psychologist regarding physical punishment in the boarding house.
By this point, the psychologist had also informed the school’s maintaining authority. After receiving no clear answer as to whether an official child protection report had been filed, the psychologist contacted the relevant child welfare service, which confirmed that no such report had been received. The matter was subsequently referred to the police.
Police opened an investigation on suspicion of minor bodily harm against an unknown perpetrator. The school later filed a child protection report. The Franciscan institution has since issued a public apology. The prefect admitted the assault, stating that he had lost control.
Telex also reported that the boy had documented behavioural and learning difficulties (BTMN), of which the school was aware, and that the monk had previously raised suspicions of ADHD with the parents.
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Investigation likely to be dropped
The parents have not initiated legal proceedings against the teacher, and no medical report was prepared, meaning the police investigation is expected to be discontinued. The monk himself has described the incident as traumatic, expressing hope that such an occurrence will not recur.
The institution has suspended both the prefect and the assisting teacher pending the outcome of the investigation.
The boy, who lives in Budapest, completed the school year by commuting up to four hours daily and will continue his studies in the capital.
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