A kindergarten employee in the Pudong New Area has been detained following allegations of child abuse and the principal has been removed from his post, the local education bureau announced.

It said parents had told police the child-care worker, surnamed Wang, at privately run Morgan Rothschild Academy had scratched four children with a ballpoint pen.

An initial investigation, it said in a statement, found that Wang had been hired without the proper qualifications.

The police confirmed that Wang was suspected of child abuse and had been detained.

Checks of surveillance videos over the past 15 days had found no evidence of similar alleged behavior, they said.

The bureau said it had set up a team to look into the incident and had organised medical treatment and psychological counseling for four children.

It had also authorized a qualified public kindergarten to take over management of Morgan Rothschild Academy.

It ordered that all staff without the necessary qualifications be dismissed.

The bureau said it would also be launching a wider inspection of all kindergartens in the area.