Canberra, April 2 (IANS): Investigations are underway into a school in Australia that placed a child with special needs and behavioural issues in a cage-like withdrawal space, media reported on Thursday.

The Australian Capital Territory's Education board has suspended the principal and launched an investigation into how a primary school student was placed in a two-by-two-metre structure made of metal pool fencing which the school officials referred to as a "sanctuary", The Canberra Times reported.

The structure within the classroom was built specifically for the student, believed to be a 10-year-old boy with autism, on March 10. It was dismantled on March 27, the day after the directorate became aware of it.

The child was placed in the structure on at least one occasion for an unknown period as a behaviour management technique.

The government has not told parents at the school of the incident, except for those with children in the school's special needs unit, who were notified in a letter sent by the acting principal.

The letter said: "The school intended that this space provide sanctuary in response to the needs of a student. The space was clearly unacceptable".

A parent of a child at the school said that he was disgusted at learning of the incident.

"I don't think anyone should be locked in a cage," he said.

"They are not criminals, they are just children that need help, not to be locked away."

The principal of the school has been removed.